The Charlotte Hornets will look to build off Friday’s impressive home win over the Denver Nuggets as they take a quick trip north to battle the Knicks starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This will be the first of three meetings this season between the Hornets and Knicks, with the second coming up this Friday in Charlotte. New York has lost four of its last five outings heading into Saturday’s game versus Brooklyn, sitting 22ndin the NBA in offense (106.4 rating) and 27thin defense (112.2 rating) under new Head Coach, David Fizdale.
Hornets big man Frank Kaminsky has continued to look good on both sides of the ball over the last three weeks after limited playing time earlier in the season. Since reentering the rotation on Nov. 21, the Wisconsin product is averaging 9.4 points on 50.8 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists off the bench, all while showcasing noticeable improvements with regards to decision-making, shot selection and defense.
A youth movement in the Big Apple has allowed the Knicks to see a lot from second-round rookie Mitchell Robinson, who was out of organized competition last season after withdrawing from Western Kentucky. The 7-1 center is averaging only 4.9 points and 4.1 rebounds (2.2 offensive), although does rank tied for seventh in the NBA in blocks (1.96). Already an elite rim protector, pulling Robinson out of the paint should be a focal point for Kaminsky and the Hornets come Sunday.
Game Note– The home team is a perfect 7-0 in the head-to-head series between the Hornets and Knicks since the start of the 2016-17 NBA season. Charlotte owns the last road win between the two sides, a 111-97 victory at MSG on April 6, 2016.
Classic Fact– Glen Rice scored a still-standing postseason franchise-record 39 points against the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Alonzo Mourning was the previous record holder with 34 points in Game 3 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which also came against the Knicks.