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Porzingis: Knicks more confident with Hornacek 'running his own stuff'

Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Of the many surprises this young NBA season has already produced, few have been more surprising than the New York Knicks ranking 11th in offensive efficiency.

On its own, that may not seem like any great shakes, but the Knicks have been so bad at scoring for so long - they ranked 18th, 26th, and 29th the past three seasons - this counts as a major development.

One thing that's contributing to the uptick in offense is that Kristaps Porzingis has made a huge leap, and is making the most of the extra possessions Carmelo Anthony's departure has afforded him. The other is that Phil Jackson's ouster has freed head coach Jeff Hornacek from the responsibility of incorporating the triangle into his offensive sets, and the Knicks players are responding.

"This year you can feel that Jeff has more, he's running his own stuff without anybody coming in and telling him what to do or how to do (it), so I think from the top down you can feel that there's more confidence in what we're doing," Porzingis said in an interview on The Michael Kay Show on Tuesday, as transcribed by ESPN's Ian Begley. "It's a better feeling this way."

The Knicks are running more pick-and-roll actions - another thing that's helped Porzingis spread his wings - and while they're throwing fewer passes, those passes are being converted into assists at a much higher rate. Knicks players routinely complained about the outmoded complexity of the triangle, and now even their opponents recognize they're playing with more freedom.

"I feel like we just have the fundamentals as a team," Porzingis said.

"Our guys are feeling comfortable with what we're running," Hornacek told reporters Tuesday, according to Begley. "We're going to get better at that. It's a style most of those guys like to play. It makes it easier for them."

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