The New York Knicks entered Tuesday's In-Season Tournament matchup against the Hornets with a +18 point differential. By the time the final buzzer sounded at MSG, New York had a +42 point differential after its 115-91 win.
Julius Randle played like he was on a mission. He finished with a game-high 25 points (8-of-15), 20 rebounds, and five assists. Mitchell Robinson was dominant from start to finish with 10 rebounds, six blocks, and six steals. Even Josh Hart, who recently said he hasn't felt included, scored a season-high 17 points (7-of-10) with six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
The Knicks let the Hornets cut the lead to one in the third quarter but hit the gas pedal and didn't look back afterward. New York finished the game like it wanted to take the next step toward earning a trip to Las Vegas and $500,000. Even RJ Barrett, who was mic'd up, commented on how the Knicks needed to run the score up with seven minutes left to play.
Who will the Knicks play in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals?
New York finished In-Season Tournament group play with a 3-1 record, with the lone loss coming against Milwaukee. Now, the Knicks will have a shot to redeem themselves with another trip to Wisconsin in the quarterfinals.
Eastern Conference knockout round matchups:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 29, 2023
Knicks vs Bucks
Celtics vs Pacers
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The Bucks won East Group B with a 131-124 win over the Heat. Milwaukee caught a break as Jimmy Butler didn't play, but the Heat still gave the Bucks a run for their money.
The Knicks are the East's wildcard team, which is fitting. The quarterfinals will be held on Monday, Dec. 4, and Tuesday, Dec. 5. If New York knocks off Milwaukee, the team will travel to Las Vegas for the semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 7. If the Knicks win, they'll compete for the first-ever In-Season Cup on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Bring it on!