CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jalen Brunson shone brightly by scoring 31 points and hitting two vital free throws with just 8.6 seconds left on the clock, enabling the New York Knicks to narrowly defeat the short-handed Charlotte Hornets 99-98. This victory marked the Knicks’ impressive 3-0 record in NBA Cup play as they continued their quest for success.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed significantly with a double-double, netting 19 points along with 12 rebounds for the Knicks. Coming into this match, New York found themselves trailing the Orlando Magic by 23 points in Group A’s point differential, striving for a more resounding win. Meanwhile, the Magic, currently 2-0 within the group, competed against the Brooklyn Nets later in the evening.
For the Hornets, Brandon Miller led the scoring with 20 points, while teammate Josh Green added another 15. However, Charlotte faced considerable challenges, playing without three of their starters—LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams—as well as key bench players Nick Richards, Tre Mann, and Grant Williams.
The Knicks struggled in the opening quarter, accumulating eight turnovers and managing only 15 points, a performance that lacked the necessary spark.
Notable insights from the game reveal that the Knicks exhibited a lackluster and disorganized style of play during the first half. Although they briefly seized the lead in the final minutes, their advantage was short-lived as Josh Green responded with a jumper, reclaiming the lead. Green then capitalized on a careless inbounds pass from Mikal Bridges to execute a fading jumper just as time expired.
Adding to Charlotte’s woes, LaMelo Ball, who had been averaging an impressive 40.3 points in the previous four games, was sidelined due to left calf soreness. His coach, Charles Lee, noted that Ball experienced discomfort towards the end of their recent game against the Miami Heat, though he did not provide any further updates regarding Ball’s potential return to action.
The game’s pivotal moment came when Brunson’s mid-range shot with 4:50 remaining sealed the Knicks’ lead for the duration of play.
In terms of performance metrics, Miller’s shooting was less than optimal; he finished with just 7 of 25 from the field and only 2 of 11 from three-point range.
Looking ahead, the Knicks are set to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, while the Hornets will take on the Atlanta Hawks the following night.