New York Knicks guard Justin Holiday looks on against the...

New York Knicks guard Justin Holiday looks on against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game at Barclays Center on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

Justin Holiday is proving to be more than just a player who was put in the Derrick Rose trade to make the salaries match up.

Holiday has become one of Jeff Hornacek’s most entrusted players on both ends of the floor.

“Guys earn opportunities,” Hornacek said. “What Justin has done is he’s doing everything right. We’re not having to tell him two, three times how to guard something. Tell him once and he does it. He’s got great, especially on the defensive end, concepts of where he should be.

“He does it out of all our guys probably more than anybody that he’s consistently in the right spot.”

Hornacek also likes how Holiday can space the floor with his shooting. He started in the second half when the Knicks went small Monday and scored 16 points to spark the win over the Mavericks Monday. Holiday had nine off the bench in Wednesday night’s victory over Detroit.

The Knicks acquired Holiday from Chicago with Rose for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant. He’s playing for his fifth team since his NBA career started in 2012-13

Stan disses Trump again

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, who was very critical of Donald Trump being elected president, supports that three NBA teams reportedly won’t stay at Trump hotels in New York and Chicago.

“I think every team’s got to take a look at that,” Van Gundy said.

ESPN reported the three teams are Dallas, Memphis and Milwaukee. Van Gundy said he received emails asking why the Pistons aren’t one of them.

“We never stayed there,” Van Gundy said. “So we didn’t have to cancel anything.”

Harris honored

Pistons forward and former Half Hollow Hills West star Tobias Harris received the October NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his charity work. Harris gives back to communities on Long Island and in Michigan as well as Orlando, where he started his career, and Knoxville, Tenn., where he attended college.

“In a world where more leaders are needed,” Harris said, “mentorship is the first step to try to effect real change.”

Thomas sits again

Reserve forward Lance Thomas missed his second straight game with a sore left ankle. Thomas said he has plantar fasciitis in both feet.

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