Knicks Takeaways from Tuesday's 97-92 loss to Hornets, including a sluggish second half

Hornets snapped an eight-game losing streak

1/29/2020, 2:35 AM
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The Knicks dropped to 13-35 on the season with Tuesday's 97-92 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Tuesday's game

1) The Knicks played well as a team during the first half in Charlotte, shooting 51.2 percent as a team in the first 24 minutes. They also had nine assists compared to just six turnovers in the first half. The second half was a different story, though. The Knicks played uninspired basketball and struggled to find their shot after halftime. In the final two minutes, with the Knicks trailing by seven, Marcus Morris hit a three to bring the lead down to four. But the Hornets hit their free throws down the stretch and came away with the win.

 

2) Julius Randle led the Knicks in scoring with 24 points, making 10 of his 19 attempts from the floor. Randle also had five rebounds and two assists, though he turned the ball over three times. Randle had 18 points in the first quarter alone, but his scoring dipped after that.

3) Dennis Smith Jr. was back on the court for the Knicks. Smith did not suit up in the last two games for New York, and played just three minutes last Wednesday in his first game back from an oblique injury. Smith played seven minutes in the first half, scoring four points with two assists. Overall, Smith recorded seven points, three rebounds, and two assists in 14 minutes. Meanwhile, Frank Ntilikina did not enter the game until there were under four minutes left on the clock.

4) Morris had another strong night for the Knicks, finishing with 23 points. He was however, just 4-of-12 from beyond the arc, and had a fourth-quarter potential four-point play called back as a offensive foul after video review determined Morris kicked out his leg to try to draw the foul.

5) The Hornets were led on the offensive end by Terry Rozier, who finished with 30 points while making four three-pointers. Meanwhile, Cody Zeller had a big impact on the game with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and a block.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks will have a quick turnaround as they head back home for a game against the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30PM.

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