Outstanding Towns – Knicks 119-104 win over Hornets in New York
Double-double for Towns and Knicks dominance at MSG – Towns’ 16th double-double this year
The New York Knicks left no room for doubt in the Charlotte Hornets, winning 119-104 at Madison Square Garden, never losing the lead. The protagonist of the match was Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished the match with 35 points and 18 rebounds, scoring his 16th double-double in 21 games.
Jaylen Brunson followed in scoring with 26 points, while Michael Bridges, Josh Hart and Miles McBride added 16 and 15 points respectively, contributing to the fact that the Knicks’ starting five scored 107 of the team’s 119 points.
LaMelo Ball attempted the turnover
Despite the loss, LaMelo Ball was outstanding for the Hornets. He scored 34 points, 16 of them in the last twelve minutes, while he finished his appearance with 9 assists and 8 rebounds, reaching the triple-double. Also in double figures for Charlotte were Kon Kneupel and reserve Tijan Salaun with 13 points, as well as Zion James with 11.
The Knicks built a big gap early
The home team came out strong and led 27-12 at the end of the first period, while reaching +20 (41-21). The Hornets responded with a 26-9 run to get within three just before halftime, but Brunson’s 3-pointer late in the second quarter made it 53-47.
In the third quarter, New York responded with a 29-14 run, pushing the lead to +18 (84-66), while at the beginning of the fourth quarter it reached +22 (97-75), effectively “locking” the victory.
Statistical dominance and confidence going forward
Towns shot 13-of-23 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range while making 6-of-7 field goals. The Knicks shot 85.2% from the line (23/27), while the Hornets were even better at 90.5% (19/21), but that didn’t change the flow of the game.
The New York team continues its upward trajectory with five wins in the last six games, showing that it is now firmly in the high places of the East.
*Text edited by Stelios Eliodorou
