The New York Knicks narrowly edged out a stubborn effort from the banged-up Charlotte Hornets on Friday. The Knicks picked up a 99-98 win to improve to 11-8 on the 2024-25 NBA season, but they played far from their best basketball. That was in large part due to the Hornets’ tenacious defense and quality offensive play. Does the franchise have cause to pause after laboring to victory?
Knicks bothered by stingy Hornets defense early
The numbers may say one thing for New York. Yes, the Knicks shot 38 percent from three-point range, saw Jalen Brunson (31 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (19 points) both shoot 50 percent from the field, and won the rebounding battle 44-39, but the game told two stories.
Part of the reason why the Hornets kept it so close and even led for most of the way is because of their execution on defense in the half-court. They made things difficult for Towns in the first half without incessantly trapping him on the block. The Knicks went to their leading scorer time and again in the mid and high post, but Hornets young big man Moussa Diabate held his ground and played him up front with discipline.
As a team, Charlotte clogged the passing lanes and forced the Knicks out of their flow by picking up their dribble off of screens and above the break. Their defense in the middle of the paint made things difficult for rim-runners looking to catch the ball and either kick to shooters or finish in close.
Knicks allowed too many offensive boards vs. Hornets
Another flaw the Knicks succumbed to was allowing the Hornets to get active on the offensive glass. Despite winning the boards, New York allowed Charlotte to corral 14 offensive rebounds to their 12, and three of them came in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks looked a step too slow on both ends into the third quarter before turning things up down the stretch on the back of Brunson. That allowed them to erase the gritty effort that Hornets role players in Tidjane Salaun, KJ Simpson, and company put forth after getting to their spots as aggressive scorers.
Mikal Bridges did not turn the tide on his slow start with an eight-point effort and OG Anunoby scored the same. It was a forgettable showing overall, but the Knicks find themselves trending upward nonetheless
While they earned a win that cannot be taken away from them, the team will look to be sharper in their next contest, especially considering the fact that the Hornets were down eight players to injury, including three key starters in LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Nick Richards, as well as their two most impactful bench pieces in Tre Mann and Grant Williams.
