New York Knicks lose to the Charlotte Hornets 114-103: Outrun, Outworked, Outclassed

The New York Knicks’ win streak came to an end after losing to the Charlotte Hornets 114-103. The Knicks got plenty of offense, but their defense couldn’t keep up with Charlotte’s speed and shooters.

The first quarter was a shootout with Jalen Brunson and LaMelo Ball leading their respective squads. But Brunson sat, and the Knicks couldn’t keep pace with the Hornets. Charlotte ran up big leads, while the Knicks fought to stay within striking distance. But the Knicks ran out of steam before halftime as the Hornets built their lead to 10 and never looked back.

New York’s three-point defense failed it for another night. The pace appeared to hamper the Knicks’ rebounding efforts, as they were outrebounded by 19 boards. So while the Knicks made runs in the second half, it never felt like they had enough gas to complete a comeback.

It’s a disappointing way to end the win streak. Let’s have a look at the tough night through the players’ stories.

The Knicks get blown out much worse without Jalen Brunson. The Burner scored 17 in the first quarter, then drew Charlotte’s defenders while he fed other scorers for the rest of the action. He carried the offense.

But the Hornets targeted Brunson on defense. One of New York’s big improvements has been fighting through screens so that opponents can’t isolate Brunson on a mismatch. That didn’t happen tonight, and the Captain became a frequent target.

Karl-Anthony Towns had a sluggish performance, with a brief scoring run in the third quarter and little else. He barely got involved in the offense in the first half, and this was a rare night in which he couldn’t get to rebounds.

Moussa Diabete outworked KAT, and the big man failed to keep the Hornets from scoring in the paint. The Knicks’ best runs came when Mitchell Robinson took his place.

Towns has been great since the All-Star Break, so I don’t think we should overreact to a bad performance. But this was rough.

OG Anunoby got hot from three again, knocking down a series of long shots in the second quarter to keep the game close. Unfortunately, that was the majority of his offense for the night. Anunoby didn’t get to the rim with his typical aggression, leading to fewer points and more turnovers in the paint.

Anunoby’s defense is another story. He was one of the only Knicks who consistently got through screens and defended well in isolation. So, OG was streaky as a scorer but his defense kept him effective.

It took too long for Josh Hart to get aggressive with his offense. He knocked down jumpers in the fourth quarter, keeping the game within reach late. But it was too late for the team to mount a comeback, and the rest of Hart’s night was far more forgettable offensively.

But that’s not to say Hart was bad. On a night when everyone else lagged, Josh led the team in rebounding. His aggressive and physical on-ball defense produced five of the team’s eight steals. So New York’s energizer looked like the only Knick with any energy for portions of this game.

LaMelo Ball started the game hot, but Jordan Clarkson came in and cooled him off with full-court pressure. Clarkson’s defense helped New York get out of the doldrums, and he found time for opportunistic buckets in the paint.

Ball got hot again to start the third quarter, conspicuously while Clarkson sat. So, Clarkson led the bench in scoring and provided just as much defensive punch.

Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson are connecting for lobs with increasing frequency. Robinson’s only points came from alley-oops thrown by the Captain. But Robinson’s dunks are the least important of his night.

The team's defense and rebounding improved whenever Mitch took the floor. Robinson’s screens also freed players up more effectively, which may be why Brunson’s playmaking shone brightest driving through those picks.

The Knicks outscored Charlotte when Robinson played. No one else on the Knicks can say that.

We just saw the difference between the bad teams New York has beaten lately and the quality sides that they’ll play in the postseason. The Knicks can’t afford to have lulls, and they can’t shrink against physicality. The margin of error is too thin.

The Knicks’ postseason hopes rest on a belief that they can take their play to another level. But we haven’t seen that next level with any semblance of consistency since the NBA Cup.

That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve lost it. They have a top-three record in the East and will make the playoffs for their fourth consecutive season. Concerns are understandable, but confidence is not unfounded. I’m just glad we’ll find out soon.

I’ll see you next time, Knicks’ fam!