NBA Rookies: Kon Knueppel can Bounce Back in Final Play-In Game

The Charlotte Hornets faced off against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, giving us one of the best games of the season.

The teams grappled back and forth for much on the contest, with both needing heroic shots to send the game to overtime, which eventually finished with the Hornets grabbing late momentum and a one-point win.

Potential Rookie of the Year Kon Knueppel was hyped as a player who would likely be the difference in the Hornets winning or losing, though that ultimately wasn’t the case.

Knueppel struggled from the tip, starting out the first frame 0-for-6, missing patented threes, layups and a last-second try before the second frame. In total, he would score just six points on 2-for-12 shooting, failing to hit a 3-pointer in going 0-for-6. He managed to tack on five rebounds and one assists, but finished as a -20 in a game his team desperately needed.

Following his slow scoring stretch, Knueppel would spend most of crunch time watching from the bench, as his counterparts in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and more made crucial plays down the stretch.

It’s well known that NBA rookies are often built for postseason basketball. The Playoffs have been likened to a completely different event, one where the pressure for each play is drastically higher, with the games even being officiated differently. Few faulted Knueppel for struggling in his postseason outing, especially with all of that pressure narrowed down into one individual game.

Teammates to finish 1st & 2nd in 3PM in a season:

— Steph Curry & Klay Thompson (4x)
— Kon Knueppel & LaMelo Ball pic.twitter.com/4hDaSkxyjh
— Real App (@realapp) April 11, 2026

Luckily, he’ll have his chance at redemption on Friday.

With the win over Miami, the Hornets have now punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference’s final Play-In game, where they’ll face off against the loser of Philadelphia and Orlando for all the marbles: becoming the eight-seed.

Charlotte has been one of the best teams in the league since the turn of the new year, and should be primed for a win over either squad, though they'll need their rookie in better shape to do so.

Knueppel hasn't shot the ball well from distance for some time now, hitting on just 31% of his threes over his last nine regular-season games. He's been dealing with an injury, but could also just be in a shooting slump. Regardless, there too much sample for those lower numbers to hold, meaning a bounce-back is in order for Knueppel at some point.

Charlotte is certainly hoping it's soon, ideally against either Philadelphia or Orlando.

The 76ers and Magic will tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT tonight. The Hornets will then play the loser on Friday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m.

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