It’s taken another injury to remove Joakim Noah from the starting lineup.
Noah, who suffered a left hamstring injury in Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers, will miss Monday’s Lakers game and could be out for a few games, if training camp is any indication. Noah’s left-hamstring injury during camp cost him at least two weeks and the first four exhibition games.
Noah hurt the hamstring stepping wrong as he went up for an offensive rebound.
“I think the one in training camp was pretty worse than this one,’’ coach Jeff Hornacek said. “I’m not sure how long this will take, but hamstrings are always a little tricky. They’ll feel better, but then you take that one hard step and you reaggravate it.”
The team is 5-1 when Noah is out, as the Knicks’ starting center has turned into a $72 million bust.
Though Hornacek said Noah will stick as a starter because of his “veteran leadership,’’ there have been recent cries for rookie center Willy Hernangomez to start instead. However, Hornacek may go back to Kyle O’Quinn, who started the second half Saturday.
Hernangomez scored 16 points with five assists versus Cleveland, but showed his inexperience on defense — a minus-33 in the first half.
Hornacek said he enjoys the rookie’s chemistry with the speedier second unit.
“I like when Willy is out there with Brandon [Jennings],’’ Hornacek said. “That group has been really good for us. Something we’re talking about. If Derrick [Rose] comes back, are we better starting [O’Quinn] at that spot and keep Willy with that Brandon group or do we just start Willy?”
Despite his defensive mistakes versus the Cavs, Hornacek rolled with Hernangomez with Noah ailing.
“Part of it was Jo being out,’’ Hornacek said. “Part of it is Willy is trying and is young and learning and not to be too harsh on him. We want him to learn these things with understanding he is young and will make a couple of mistakes. He’s still doing a lot of good things out there for us.”
Rose is expected to return from a four-game absence Monday.
“We did a little half-court scrimmaging where he had to go side to side and he looked pretty good there,’’ Hornacek said. “He didn’t wince or make faces. If he wakes up and hasn’t regressed, he’ll be ready to go.”
Brandon Jennings is lobbying for the team to pick up the pace as it did in rallying from 27 points down verus Cleveland, cutting it to five.
“When we’re in the half-court, we get stagnant and everyone’s just watching,’’ Jennings said. “The only way we play fast [is] if we get stops. When we get stops just run and pass it ahead if they’re open.”
Hornacek said they’ll need more stops but also have to create more turnovers to set up a fast break.
Lance Thomas’ headaches, a byproduct of his broken orbital bone, are again on the wane. He’s started to work out and could be back on this homestand. He’s been out since Jan. 15.
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