New York Knicks come from behind for the second straight game to stun the Charlotte Hornets. The Knicks are now winners of 7 of their last 8.
- New York Knicks 98 (6-4)
- Charlotte Hornets 93 (5-6)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
The New York Knicks hung around long enough to make it interesting late. The defense was awful for the better part of this game, but they tightened up in the 4th-quarter. This game had a very similar feel to Sunday’s game against the Pacers.
The defense was hard to watch for three quarters. The Knicks are going to have some trouble with penetrating guards this year. Ntilikina will get better at this, but he did look lost at times tonight.
Despite the horrendous defense for three quarters, Hornacek’s team outscored Charlotte 35-to-19 in the fourth quarter. These types of wins are not sustainable for a full NBA season, but for now, they’re fun to watch.
Kristaps Porzingis had another high scoring night with 28 points on 10-for-15 from the floor. He was quiet in the second half, until late in the fourth quarter. He hit a 3-pointer late right in Dwight Howard‘s mug after getting manhandled by the veteran big man for a few possessions. Later he would convert on a drive to the basket that proved to be the final nail in the coffin.
The second unit was huge down the stretch. Doug McDermott scored 20 on 7-for-8 shooting. Kyle O’Quinn did a little bit of everything with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. It’s nice to see Coach Hornacek trust these guys with late 4th quarter minutes. Huge credit has to go to Jeff Hornacek during this winning streak. He is pushing all the right buttons with his lineups.
This team is starting to develop an identity. They’re gritty and already have two nice come from behind victories under their belts. They have a long way to go, especially on defense, but this team is trending in the right direction. They have to travel to Orlando tonight in what should be a winnable game. This is fun.