
The New York Knicks finished up a strong preseason on a high note Friday, as they defeated the Charlotte Hornets in the preseason finale 113-108. New York finishes the preseason with a 4-1 record and will now gear up for the regular season.
Jalen Brunson was dominant for the Knicks
This game served as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, though the Knicks were missing four essential players. Josh Hart (back), Mitchell Robinson (load management), Karl-Anthony Towns (quad), and OG Anunoby (ankle) all sat this game out as a precautionary measure.

Jalen Brunson did play, though, and he looked just like his usual superstar self. He scored 31 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished six assists, shot 12-for-25 from the floor, and 5-for-12 from three.
Brunson was having an up-and-down preseason before Friday’s game, but he looked very comfortable moving the ball and putting shots up. Over time, he seems to be adjusting nicely to Mike Brown’s system, which is a great sign heading into the regular season.
Mikal Bridges continued his strong preseason
Mikal Bridges wrapped up a strong preseason with another solid performance. He finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks, and shot 7-for-16 from the field and knocked down a pair of threes.

Bridges has looked much more comfortable thus far than he did last year. The faster playstyle that Brown brings to the team fits Bridges much more than the slow pace that Tom Thibodeau brought, and Bridges is making a positive impact on both ends.
If the preseason is any indication of a big season from Bridges, then that is a great sign for them moving forward. New York made a huge financial commitment to Bridges this summer when they signed him to a four-year, $150 million extension, so they will hope that his strong preseason translates into the regular season.
The Knicks were making and taking plenty of threes
Putting up more three-point shots was a big point of emphasis upon Brown’s arrival this offseason. While the group was talented offensively last season, they weren’t maximized and didn’t produce nearly enough from beyond the arc as they could have.
So far, however, they look much more willing to put up shots from long range. On Friday against Charlotte, they put up 48 three-point attempts and made 18 of them, good for 37.5%. They also attempted 57 against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.

For reference, the Knicks’ season-high for threes in a game was when they attempted 51 threes against the Utah Jazz on Nov. 6, and they never attempted more than 47 in any other game. The team is clearly trying to make the three-point shot a focal point of their offense, which could lead to much better results for them.
With the amount of offensive talent they have on their team, they have the potential to be the top offense in the entire league if they can shoot with high efficiency.
Overview
The preseason gave the team a great opportunity to adapt to the new system, but now it is time for the real thing. The next game the Knicks play will be the regular season opener, which is set for Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.