Depth-Depleted Charlotte Starts Big, Miller Matches Career High, Double-Double for Bridges
For the third straight game, the Charlotte Hornets conceded a monstrous number of points in a single quarter, this time dooming their chances in a 113-92 home loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night.
Brandon Miller tied a career high with 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while also adding three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists across 39 minutes. Miles Bridges (21 points) established a new career best with a seventh consecutive 20-point game and grabbed a game-high-tying 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the campaign.
Charlotte went to toe-to-toe with the Knicks’ seventh-ranked defense in the opening half, sliding into the midway point down by only three. But much like Houston did on Friday, New York rode Jalen Brunson (15 points) and Donte DiVincenzo (12 points) in the third, shooting a blistering 81% to win the frame by a 44-24 margin. The Knicks bumped their cushion to 29 in the fourth and swept the regular season series with Charlotte for the first time since 1991-92.
“In the third quarter, we couldn’t stop those two guys.” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, who was ejected with nine minutes left in the game. “We don’t have a lot of depth. It’s hard to put 48 minutes together. We’re subbing differently every game, and those are not healthy things. You don’t get into a rhythm… [or] a comfort level with who you’re playing with. I’ve got to figure some of that out, and it’s also hard with guys in and out. Tonight, we had a couple lineups out there that we’re just trying to get through with, and we didn’t at all.”
Added Martin, “I think going into the third quarter, I don’t know what it is – maybe a lack of focus and prioritizing defense over the course of the game. [We need to be] prioritizing good starts in the third, and obviously you can’t control shots and things like that. Just trying to control what we can and making sure we’re in the right spots and rotations.”
PJ Washington added 16 points and Cody Martin, who started at point guard for the first time as an NBA player, recorded season highs in both points (14) and assists (eight). Given its backcourt depth issues, the Hornets committed a manageable 14 turnovers, though they resulted in 25 New York points. Charlotte scrounged up only seven bench points and sank seven free throws, good for a bottom-three seasonal total which have now all come against the Knicks.
Brunson had a game-high 32 points – 19 in the second half – on 13-of-24 shooting and seven assists in New York’s seventh consecutive victory. DiVincenzo added 28 points – the second-highest total of his career – five 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists, while Miles McBride (11) and Isaiah Hartenstein (10) also crossed into double figures. Like Charlotte, New York was also missing a trio of starters in Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson.
The Hornets will close out their four-game homestand against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Jan. 31 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.
2024-01-29
Hornets Rolled In 3rd Quarter Again, Knicks Coast To Big Win
Sam Perley, NBA.com/Hornets
Depth-Depleted Charlotte Starts Big, Miller Matches Career High, Double-Double for Bridges
For the third straight game, the Charlotte Hornets conceded a monstrous number of points in a single quarter, this time dooming their chances in a 113-92 home loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night.
Brandon Miller tied a career high with 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while also adding three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists across 39 minutes. Miles Bridges (21 points) established a new career best with a seventh consecutive 20-point game and grabbed a game-high-tying 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the campaign.
Charlotte went to toe-to-toe with the Knicks’ seventh-ranked defense in the opening half, sliding into the midway point down by only three. But much like Houston did on Friday, New York rode Jalen Brunson (15 points) and Donte DiVincenzo (12 points) in the third, shooting a blistering 81% to win the frame by a 44-24 margin. The Knicks bumped their cushion to 29 in the fourth and swept the regular season series with Charlotte for the first time since 1991-92.
“In the third quarter, we couldn’t stop those two guys.” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford, who was ejected with nine minutes left in the game. “We don’t have a lot of depth. It’s hard to put 48 minutes together. We’re subbing differently every game, and those are not healthy things. You don’t get into a rhythm… [or] a comfort level with who you’re playing with. I’ve got to figure some of that out, and it’s also hard with guys in and out. Tonight, we had a couple lineups out there that we’re just trying to get through with, and we didn’t at all.”
Added Martin, “I think going into the third quarter, I don’t know what it is – maybe a lack of focus and prioritizing defense over the course of the game. [We need to be] prioritizing good starts in the third, and obviously you can’t control shots and things like that. Just trying to control what we can and making sure we’re in the right spots and rotations.”
PJ Washington added 16 points and Cody Martin, who started at point guard for the first time as an NBA player, recorded season highs in both points (14) and assists (eight). Given its backcourt depth issues, the Hornets committed a manageable 14 turnovers, though they resulted in 25 New York points. Charlotte scrounged up only seven bench points and sank seven free throws, good for a bottom-three seasonal total which have now all come against the Knicks.
Brunson had a game-high 32 points – 19 in the second half – on 13-of-24 shooting and seven assists in New York’s seventh consecutive victory. DiVincenzo added 28 points – the second-highest total of his career – five 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists, while Miles McBride (11) and Isaiah Hartenstein (10) also crossed into double figures. Like Charlotte, New York was also missing a trio of starters in Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson.
The Hornets will close out their four-game homestand against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Jan. 31 beginning at 7 PM ET at Spectrum Center. Catch all the action on Bally Sports Southeast and WFNZ 92.7 FM.