Porzingis scores 29, Knicks beat Hornets 102-94
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) hugs New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) as they huddle with guard Arron Afflalo (4), guard Jose Calderon (3) and guard Langston Galloway (2) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, in New York. AP
NEW YORK, New York—Rookie Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 102-94 on Tuesday night.
Less than a week after he just missed beating the Hornets when his 3-pointer was ruled after the buzzer, Porzingis couldn’t be denied by Charlotte defenders or the clock in the 20-year-old Latvian’s biggest moment in the NBA.
The slender, 7-foot-3 forward who was thunderously booed when the Knicks drafted him with the No. 4 pick had fans chanting “Por-zing-is! Por-zing-is!” in the fourth quarter, shortly after his three-point play following an offensive rebound gave the Knicks a 93-81 lead.
Carmelo Anthony added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Arron Afflalo scored 16.
Kemba Walker scored a season-high 31 points for the Hornets, but reigning Eastern Conference player of the week Nicolas Batum had only one basket and four points.
Batum averaged 25.5 points last week, and one of the Hornets’ victories came when they edged the Knicks 95-93 after video review waved off Porzingis’ apparent winner.
The Hornets charged back in this one behind Walker, a New Yorker who’s had plenty of big nights here in high school and while playing for Connecticut, cutting it to four as the Knicks’ offense stalled down the stretch.
But Anthony blocked Batum’s 3-point attempt and former Knicks star Jeremy Lin shot an airball on another before Porzingis grabbed the rebound and was fouled, hitting both free throws to make it 100-94 with 11.3 seconds left.
Lin finished with 13 points but Charlotte had its four-game winning streak over the Knicks snapped.
