NBA: After slow start, Knicks run away from Hornets
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his 12th consecutive double-double to lead the host New York Knicks to an easy 125-101 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA on Thursday night.
Towns racked up 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting overall to go along with 16 rebounds for New York, which had all five of its starters score in double figures. OG Anunoby netted 25 points, while Jalen Brunson (24 points), Mikal Bridges (19) and Josh Hart (18) also faced little resistance from the Charlotte defense.
Article continues after this advertisementHart completed a double-double of his own by pulling down 10 boards, and he added six assists.
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The Hornets got 26 points and six rebounds from Brandon Miller but got outshot 53.9 percent to 44.9 percent from the field in what ended up being their seventh loss in a row. Vasilije Micic went for 14 points and 12 assists, and Seth Curry totaled 18 points off the bench.
Article continues after this advertisementAfter taking a 65-62 edge into the break, the Knicks turned the contest into a rout in the third quarter.
KAT drops a HAMMER through 3 defenders 🤯
Hornets-Knicks | NBA League Pass
📲 https://t.co/wXkteBmZ2f pic.twitter.com/6XQKElCvAr— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2024
Neither team scored until Miller hit a floater with 9:49 remaining in the period to trim Charlotte’s deficit to one. However, New York responded emphatically, with a Towns hook shot igniting a 12-0 run that made it 77-64 with 7:17 to go in the third.
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Miller stemmed the tide with a pair of free throws before the Knicks essentially put the game away with a 13-2 outburst that ended with a three-point play from Towns.
New York carried a commanding 103-78 lead into the fourth and was never threatened the rest of the way.
The Hornets had the upper hand early, scoring 20 of the game’s first 27 points. They led 32-30 after the first quarter and 51-44 with 6:20 to go in the second.
A triple from Hart got the Knicks on track, though, and New York went on to close the first half on a 21-11 run for the three-point advantage at intermission. –Field Level Media
