Knicks Caught in Charlotte's Web, Winning Streak Nicked at Nine
Leave it to a Michael Jordan-led team to stop New York Knicks history.
The lowly Charlotte Hornets, where the NBA legend stands as the primary owner, took the buzz out of the Knicks with a 112-105 victory at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, ending the hosts' nine-game winning streak. With usual offensive sources sidelined or struggling, RJ Barrett led all New York scorers with 27 points in defeat.
Charlotte's severing of a three-game losing streak denied the Knicks (39-28) their first double-figure winning streak since 2012-13 and their first sweep of the Hornets in over three decades (1991-92). Jalen Brunson (foot) sat out for the second straight game while All-Star Julius Randle shot a season-worst 29 percent from the field (5-of-17).
Early slopiness foreshadowed the Knicks' fate, as each side mustered only 21 points each in the opening frame. The Knicks seemed to restore expected order with 45 points in the second, with 13 coming from Barrett, building a 16-point halftime lead. That advantage, however, was erased by Charlotte before the third quarter let out and the Hornets even took a brief lead toward the end of the frame.
The Knicks initially withstood the Hornets' rally by keeping them off the board for nearly the first four minutes of the fourth but were unable to maintain the lead to the end. After trailing by as many as nine at the midway mark, Charlotte (21-46) closed things out on a 23-7 run the rest of the way.
Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Hornets in scoring for the fourth consecutive game with 27 points, teasing the MSG crowd as they tried to take in the final minutes of their longest winning streak of the season. Oubre (10-of-17 from the field) continued to embark upon a torrid start to March, as he's now averaging 24.8 points over his first quartet to open the month. It was veteran Gordon Hayward that put Charlotte ahead for good from 10 feet out just past the two-minute mark, breaking a 103-all tie.
Hayward and Oubre had 10 points each and shot a combined 7-of-13 from the field over the final dozen. Terry Rozier had 25 points as well, with 13 coming in the fateful third as Charlotte worked its way back.
Randle was far from the only Knick to struggle from the field in defeat: Sunday's hero Immanuel Quickley struggled to follow up upon his brilliant showing in Boston, shooting just 5-of-16, including 3-of-10 from three-point range. Mitchell Robinson, primarily cashing in through dunks, was the only New York starter with a positive shooting night at 7-of-8 with his compatriots going a combined 23-of-65. Even Barrett, who sank nine of his first 13 attempts, struggled as the lead dissipated, hitting only one of his final 11.
The Knicks' chance to start a new winning streak requires some traveling, as they'll tip off a four-game Western Conference tour on Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings (10 p.m. ET, TNT).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Knicks? Click Here.
Follow AllKnicks.com on Twitter.
