Hornets Down Short-Handed Knicks, Earn Nine Seed In Eastern Conference Playoffs

It was a slopfest fit for the most unserious day of the NBA season, but it was a much-needed victory for the Charlotte Hornets who will return home to prepare for a win-or-go-home playoff game against the Miami Heat.

The Knicks didn't play any of their regular starters, but played with on a spirited efford led by veteran pest Jose Alvarado. Charlotte had to fight a little bit harder for the win than they wanted to, but it ended up being a good tune-up for what comes next later this week.

Let's dive into a couple of takeaways.

Playoff-Ready?

If there's one thing that Charlotte can't do in this week's Play-In game against the Miami Heat, it's turn the ball over. Miami sees giveaways like a shark smelling blood in the water, and they'll expose the Hornets in transition if they cough up live ball turnovers like they did tonight.

An exceptionally poor third quarter stretch was ugly for Charlotte, and there's an argument that it's a good thing for them to get it out of the way against the Knicks' backups before the real test comes against Miami.

Charlotte's Experienced Bench

LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are the only two Hornets starters that have played in an NBA postseason. Wednesday's Play-In game against the Heat will be the postseason debut for Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Moussa Diabate, and if the lights end up being too bright for some of Charlotte's young core, they at least have some experience to lean on.

Coby White, Josh Green, and Grant Williams have all competed in the NBA playoffs in their career. When the game against the Knicks got tight, each of those three stepped up big-time and extended the Hornets' advantage. White specifically was superb in Madison Square Garden, putting any worries about his nagging groin injury in the rear-view mirror.

Josh Green needs to be in the postseason rotation

On one hand, Sion James' rookie campaign has been a revelation for the Hornets.

On the other, his offensive limitations may make him umplayable in a one-game playoff scenario.

James has played all 82 games for the Hornets this season, eating important innings in a long regular season when players up and down the roster were unavailable. He brings some high-level NBA skills to the floor in terms of on-ball defense and connective passing on offense, but if Sion catches the ball on the perimeter, opposing teams will be happy with allowing him to shoot from deep.

He's only made seven of his last 28 attempts from long-range, and if you take away an unsustainably hot night against Indiana, James is three of his last 20. In last week's loss to the Celtics, Joe Mazzulla was perfectly content with packing the paint, shutting off Charlotte's driving lanes, and letting James fire away from downtown.

Green may not be as staunch of an on-ball defender as James, and he may not be as quick of a decision-maker, but the veteran guard cannot be left alone from deep, and Charlotte's perimeter-heavy attack needs a sniper like him to keep driving lanes clear against Miami and moving forward.

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