The New York Knicks will host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, November 6. What must New York do to defeat the Hornets at Madison Square Garden?
Since the beginning of the 2015-16 NBA regular season, the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets have developed what’s shaping up to be a memorable rivalry. The games have consistently come down to the wire, with both sides bringing an extra measure of physicality to their encounters.
On Tuesday, November 6, the budding feud will resume when the Knicks host the Hornets at Madison Square Garden in a game with potentially significant long-term implications.
It all started on Nov. 11, 2015, when Kristaps Porzingis’ buzzer-beating game-winner was waved off, thus giving Charlotte a 95-93 win. It was a competitive game that set the tone for future encounters between the two postseason hopefuls.
That was proven true mere days later, when Kristaps Porzingis scored 29 points to help the Knicks exact a measure of revenge with a 102-94 victory over the Hornets.
In 2016-17, the Knicks defeated the Hornets 96-93 in the first meeting, and fell 103-102 in the second. The games have generally been less competitive during the later stages of the season, but it’s fair to expect that to change now that New York is thinking long-term.
The question is: What must the New York Knicks do to start the 2017-18 chapter of the growing rivalry with the Charlotte Hornets on a high note?