The New York Knicks closed out their five-game road trip in dominant fashion on Wednesday, destroying the Charlotte Hornets 129-101. New York now improves to 11-6 on the season and earns their second straight win.
The Knicks’ offense was in a groove against the Hornets
The Knicks’ offense showed off a relentless attack in many ways on Wednesday. The Hornets had no answers for any of the Knicks, and it was a dominant effort for New York.
Jalen Brunson led the way with another big game, going off for 33 points on 14-for-28 shooting from the floor. Brunson has now scored 27 or more points in each of the four games since returning from his ankle injury, and he looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.
Miles McBride and Josh Hart got the start once again, and both delivered strong outings. McBride played 39 minutes and scored 19 points, and was a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. He also led the team in plus-minus at +27.
Hart had his best offensive performance of the season with 22 points, including 19 in the first half. He also had eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, making an impact in every which way.
Everybody got in on the fun for the Knicks
Overall, all five Knicks starters scored in double figures, and they achieved that in just the first half. That is the first time since it began being tracked in the 1996-97 season that they have achieved such an accomplishment.
New York as a team shot super efficiently, going 56% from the field and 52% from three. Similar to the game against the Brooklyn Nets, the approach was different from attempting so many threes, and the strategy worked.
The Knicks attempted a season-low 25 three-pointers, and they converted 13 of them. They expanded their offensive game plan into attacking the paint more, finishing with 64 points in the paint compared to Charlotte’s 40.
Mikal Bridges continues to shine on the defensive end
Mikal Bridges has had a phenomenal all-around season, and he flashed more of his defensive brilliance on Wednesday against the Hornets. Bridges recorded three steals and two blocks on the night and was a +23.
His impact has truly been felt in the absence of OG Anunoby, and he has really stepped up and become a very versatile defender.
With the way he is currently playing, he is on track to make an All-Defense team and perhaps get some Defensive Player of the Year consideration. His defense has been huge for a Knicks team that has struggled on that end overall, and the team couldn’t be more pleased with the production he’s given.
Overview
The Knicks close out the five-game road trip with a 3-2 record and two dominant wins to finish it off. They’ll look for their third straight win back home at the Garden on Friday when they face the Milwaukee Bucks.