By Sam Perley, hornets.com
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The Result
The Hornets earned their ninth win in the last 11 games as they battled back to edge out the visiting Knicks, 76-71, on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Both teams were without their marquee players as neither Kemba Walker nor Carmelo Anthony suited up for their respective teams in what turned out to be another game dominated by defense for the Hornets. Brian Roberts led the way for the Hornets on the offensive end, scoring 17 points while Tim Hardaway recorded a season-high 25 points and also tacked on six rebounds and five assists.
Turning Points
With both teams tied, 69-69, Brian Roberts nailed a jumper off the wing to put the Hornets up twopoints with 2:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. After Langston Galloway missed the rebuttal shot by the Knicks on the other end, Al Jefferson spun around Cole Aldrich in the post and put in a layup on the next Hornets possession to extend the lead to four with 1:42 remaining. New York would cut Charlotte’s lead in half with a pair of free throws by Lance Thomas with 41 seconds left but then fouled Al Jefferson as he pulled down an offensive rebound for Charlotte on its next possession. Jefferson managed to sink one of two free throws to extend the Hornets lead to 74-71 with 22 seconds left. Tim Hardaway Jr. would then miss the game-tying three-point shot for the Knicks on New York’s next possession which ultimately ended with an Aldrich turnover after he snagged the offensive rebound following Hardaway Jr.’s miss. Gerald Henderson knocked down a pair of free throws at the other end to ice the game for Charlotte as they squeezed out a 76-71 victory at home.
Inside the Box Score
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 10 points and seven rebounds for his third double-digit scoring performance in the last four games… Cody Zeller posted eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks… Gerald Henderson scored 14 points and has now finished in double figures 14 times in his last 20 games… Al Jefferson tied a career-high with seven blocks… Langston Galloway finished with 11 points and five rebounds for his fourth-straight game scoring in double figures and fifth time in his eight career games… Lance Thomas tied aseason-high with 16 points… Cole Aldrich led the Knicks with 13 rebounds… Both Charlotte and New York struggled from the free throw line as the Hornets converted 24-of-37 attempts (64.9%) while the Knicks made just 9-of-18 (50.0%)… Charlotte was out-rebounded by New York, 54-41… The Hornets turned the ball over nine times compared to the Knicks who finished with 14 giveaways… Charlotte has held four of its last five opponents to 80-or-fewer points.
Hornets Player of the Game
Brian Roberts finished with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists starting in place of Kemba Walker (knee) for the third time in the last five games. Roberts scored in double figures for the second time in his last four games and 12th time overall on the season.
Knicks Player of the Game
Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with a season-high 25 points to lead the visiting Knicks. Hardaway Jr. has now scored in double figures in six consecutive games and 25 games overall on the season.
Game Notes
Bismack Biyombo (knee) and Marvin Williams (head) both left the game for Charlotte in the first half… New York is 0-6 this season in games where Hardaway Jr. scores 20-or-more points… The loss snapped a season-high three-game winning streak for the Knicks…New York started three players (Langston Galloway, Lou Admundson and Lance Thomas) currently signed to 10-day contracts.
Next Up
The Hornets hit the road totake on the San Antonio Spurs at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28. The game can be seen on FOX SportsSouth or heard on WFNZ or on the official Charlotte Hornets mobile app.
Al Jefferson Postgame Twinterview
Following the win against the New York Knicks, Hornets center Al Jefferson sat down to answer your Twitter questions for a post game “Twinterview"