Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Charlotte Hornets 7:00 12/18/2017 [Game #30]

The New York Knicks hope to avoid a letdown between attention-grabbing matchups Monday night when they make a one-day trip to Charlotte to face the Hornets.

The Knicks prevailed in an emotional reunion with Carmelo Anthony and the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-96 on Saturday night. They will host the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday.

In between, they will head south to deal with the Hornets, who have lost 10 of their last 12, including two in a row to begin a four-game homestand.

The Knicks outscored the Hornets 118-113 in an earlier meeting in New York with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way with a game-high 28 points.

New York might have to do without their leading scorer Monday night as he missed the Oklahoma City game with a sore left knee and remains questionable.

Michael Beasley responded to the challenge of Anthony's return and Porzingis' absence to score a career-high 30 points in the win over the Thunder.

"It just shows the resiliency, the perseverance of this team," Beasley said of the short-handed win. "It shows you that we've got a lot of guys who can step up and fill the void if needed. Me being one of them."

The Knicks will see a Hornets team with both its star players healthy but coming off subpar efforts in a 93-91 loss to Portland on Saturday.

Kemba Walker was outplayed by rival point guard Damian Lillard, limited to 14 points on 9-for-26 shooting.

Walker, who sprained his left wrist in Friday's home loss to Miami, misfired on short jumper and a driving layup in the final seconds that could have been difference-makers in the loss.

"Kemba obviously had a rough night, but he gutted it out," Hornets interim coach Stephen Silas assessed. "The plays that he had down the stretch, I wouldn't want the ball in anybody else's hands."

The two late misses gave Walker a season-high for missed shots (19). He also recorded his lowest point total since another 14 almost a month earlier -- Nov. 20 against Minnesota.

Lillard, meanwhile, had an 18-point, 11-assist double-double in the win.

Howard had a game-high 15 rebound against the Trail Blazers, but like Walker had a tough time putting the ball in the hoop. He shot just 3 for 10 and finished with nine points, snapping a streak of 15 straight games in double figures.

Walker and Howard scored 21 points apiece in the earlier loss at New York.

The game matches a team that's been bad on the road against a team that has struggled at home.

The Knicks are tied with, coincidentally, the Hornets and Dallas Mavericks for fewest road wins (two) in the NBA this season. They have lost six of their last seven away from home.

After Thursday's home matchup with the Celtics, the Knicks will play seven of their next nine on the road.

Charlotte, meanwhile, has failed to take advantage of a stretch of eight of 10 at home. The Hornets have dropped five of its first six home games in the run.

(cbssports.com via STATS)

As usual, thanks again, Rady.

This game is a great chance to prove we can win on the road. Looking for another big team effort tonight and hopefully guys like Beasley, O?Quinn, and McDermott can keep building momentum.

Let?s go Knicks!

Pivotal game to me. If you can't beat a 10-19 team on the road you're never going to win on the road. 6 game losing streak in their place and they're a 6pt favorite.

Beas picking up where he left off 2 blocks, 3rbs, 4 pts.

CHA takes their first lead on a DH dunk 20-19 2:43 left 1st.

CHA up 29-23 1st qtr. Lets go Knicks.

As good as they looked SAT, they look like scrubs tonight

Play of the game, Baker feeds Frank alone under the basket and he dunks it. Won't make any hi lite vid but thats his 1st dunk as a Knick.

Kaminsky usually shoots it well 1-4 games, he picks tonight to get hot. 6-6 15 pts. 56-33 3:44 left in the half.

Charlotte is beating our brains in with 3 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter. Just terrible.

Down by 18 at the half. Hornets are knocking down the shots, but a big part of it is how many open looks they are getting with a bunch of dunks.

It?s one thing if we get beat without KP and THJ because the offense isn?t there. It?s another thing if the defense doesn?t show up.

60-42 CHA at the half. We're 1-10 on 3s they're 6-10 thats 15 of their 18 pt lead. Bad D and bad shooting will get you beat every time.

Will someone tell Horn the 9 Man small ball rotation does not work well without a uptempo scheme planned out .. plus NOT playing Noah on Howard is a big mistake

Horn waving the White flag. Noah and Sessions in.

Not much positive to take away from a game like this. I feel like Hornacek had started to get some positive buzz recently, but how good a coach can you be when the vast majority of the time your team doesn?t show up on the road.

htr10 said:

Not much positive to take away from a game like this. I feel like Hornacek had started to get some positive buzz recently, but how good a coach can you be when the vast majority of the time your team doesn’t show up on the road.

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Without KP and Tim this team is a sub .500 team. They'll get you an occasional good game and surprising win but look at CHA with DH, Kemba, Batum, MKG, that lineup is way better than anything the Knicks can field. Surprising that CHA record is so bad.

tiger0330 said:

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Thanks for the game stats Tig .... u must know my computer is down n out in-need of a new hard drive.
Hornacek needed 26 minutes of Noah on the court tonight, plus 26 minute of Quinn on the court tonite, plus 24 minute of Kanter on the court tonite .... The Hornets use 4 bigmen in their rotation to outrebound n outscore opponents in the paint most NBA coaches know this with the exception of Hornacek !!!

Well, at least we now know that Frank Ntilikina can dunk a basketball. On a happy note, NYK just went 5-2 in these 7 games against listless clubs (1-2 on the road).

tiger0330 said:

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mafra said:

Well, at least we now know that Frank Ntilikina can dunk a basketball.

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The 19 yr old Baller has a lot more potential than what he been showing lately.

Off the subject .. GSW look like a average team without Curry n Green tonight in a close final seconds overtime win over the Lakers .. the reffs were very supportive toward the winners lol