The Knicks saw a 16-point halftime lead slip through their fingers and their nine-game winning streak snapped in a 112-105 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Playing without Jalen Brunson for the second-straight game and after a double-overtime win on Sunday, the Knicks went just 5-for-26 from the floor in the fourth quarter. The Hornets closed the game on a 23-7 run over the final six minutes.
Here are the takeaways…
-After Randle opened the game with an uncontested three from the right side of the floor, things looked easy for the Knicks. But the intense minutes from Sunday seemed to catch up with the Knicks in the first quarter, they shot 8-for-22 (36.4 percent) from the floor and 3-for-13 (23.1 percent) from three in the game’s first 12 minutes. .
Immanuel Quickley, coming off his career night in Boston, struggled to find his range in the early goings, missing his first five shots, including four from behind the arc, while playing 10 minutes in the opening quarter. He contributed two offensive rebounds and two assists, including a good dish Mitchell Robinson for an easy slam. The Knicks big man finished with eight first-half points on four dunks, with three coming off easy dishes under the basket. Robinson scored 14 on 7-of-8 from the floor with eight rebounds in 32 minutes.
– In the second quarter, New York’s offense found their touch scoring 45 points in the quarter on 16-for-20 from the floor and 6-for-9 from deep to build a 66-50 halftime lead. The Knicks’ explosive quarter was capped by Quinten Grimes racing down the court to convert a tricky layup with 0.4 left in the half.
It was Barrett who picked up the scoring in the second to start the Knicks’ offensive resurgence, scoring 13 in the quarter to give him 17 at the half.
New York closed the quarter on a 23-11 run over the final 5 minutes. During that stretch, Quickley got his first buckets (two threes and an and-1) after he missed his first five attempts and Grimes had seven of his first-half 12 points. Charlotte made 20-of-41 attempts from the floor to start, but their struggles from behind the arc (5-of-14) helped the Knicks build their halftime advantage. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Gordon Hayward had 11 points each at the half.
– After a flurry of baskets from both teams to start the second half, the Knicks had an 11-point lead with 5:44 to play in the third. But, despite Charlotte’s frustration resulting in a pair of technical fouls, the Hornets closed the quarter on a 15-3 run and momentarily took the lead, their first of the game. Charlotte outrebounded New York 16-3 in the third quarter and 26-18 in the second half.
But an Obi Toppin three stopped the Hornets’ run and kept the Knicks up 89-87 entering the fourth. And back in an even quarter, New York responded by scoring the first six points to force a Steve Clifford timeout after less than three minutes of play.
– The Hornets could not carry over their play from the third, starting the fourth 1 for 11 from the floor. Despite that, the Knicks couldn’t extend the lead and an Oubre dunk and Hayward three cut the lead to four to force a Tom Thibodeau timeout with 5:27 to play.
But the timeout couldn’t halt the visitors who would use a 14-2 run to take a three-point lead with three minutes left before Randle, who had struggled all night to generate offense, tied the game on a layup with 2:10 to go. play. The Knicks’ lone All-Star would finish with 16 points on 5-for-17 shooting (2-for-9 from behind the arc) with 8 rebounds and three assists.
The duo of Hayward and Oubre would respond with five straight points after a Randle turnover and Josh Hart had his shot blocked to give the visitors a five-point lead with 58 seconds to play and forced another Thibs timeout.
Two Randle free throws and a Hayward offensive foul gave the Knicks the ball down three with 30 seconds to play, but Quickley was denied at the basket and Randle was called for a loose ball foul trying to corral the rebound, ending the Knicks’ hopes of a 10th consecutive win.
– In the second half, New York shot 14 of 47 (29.8 percent) from the floor and 2 of 18 (11.1 percent) from three. Barrett, who led the Knicks with 27 points, went 4-for-15 from the floor in the second half.
– Toppin (plus-13 in 13 minutes), Isaiah Hartenstein (plus-3 in 15 minutes) and Miles McBride (plus-8 in 13 minutes) – all apart from the second unit that helped power the second-quarter surge – were the only Knicks to finish with a positive plus-minus.
– Oubre had 27 to lead the Hornets who got 25 from Terry Rozier and 23 from Hayward. Charlotte finished the game shooting 49.4 percent from the floor (37.5 percent from three on 32 attempts).
Highlights
What’s Next
The Knicks hit the West Coast for a four-game road trip beginning Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings, tip is set for 10 p.m.