The Charlotte Hornets’ Miles Bridges made his comeback on Saturday, scoring a team high 30 points and Devonte Graham added an additional 25. It was not enough to overcome the formidable defense of the New York Knicks. The Hornets lost a devastating game in OT, 118-109.
The Knicks got off to a quick start thanks to three 3-point shots from downtown by Reggie Bullock. Bridges made an impact right away for the Hornets with a shot from deep and also with a traditional 3-point play. The Hornets struggled to defend the Knicks beyond the arc in the first quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Hornets trailed by 9, 36-27.
Charlotte came out ice cold to start the second quarter, shooting only 10% from the field, despite the fact that they got easy and open looks. They were losing by as many as 18 points when Davonte Graham exploded. He hit four 3-pointers to bring the Hornets within single digits. The Hornets were able to cut the lead to six, then the Knicks’ Julius Randle hit a tough jump shot to close the half. The Hornets trailed by nine at the recess, 63-54.
At the start of the third quarter, the poor shooting of the Hornets continued. They were able to only make one out of their first eleven shots. Nerlens Noel had a block party on Charlotte, blocking four of those in the quarter. The Knicks were able to extend their lead to seventeen. Bridges also got his shot rejected by Noel, but it was called goal tending. He continued his run with two straight 3-pointers and a dunk. Bridges scored 16 of his 30 points in that frame helping the Hornets trim the lead to three, 89-86.
The fourth quarter was a defensive battle between these two teams, with a combined total of 33 points in the quarter. The Hornets took a slim 4 point advantage, then the Knicks went on a 7-0 run of their own, making the score 104-101 in the late minutes of the fourth. The Hornets had a needed contribution from Terry Rozier. With just over two minutes to go in regulation, he made a free throw and then with 37 seconds remaining, he converted a lay-up tying the game 104-104 and sending it to an extra session.
Julius Randle took control of the OT with his scoring and setting up teammates. The Knicks put the game on ice, outscoring the Hornets 14-5.
Even though the Hornets lost the game, it is not over for them. The Hornets, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers are in a 3-way tie for the eighth seed. The Hornets play the Wizards on Sunday. With a win, they could remain in eighth place for the play-in tournament.
