On Thursday night, the Charlotte Hornets will host the New York Knicks in what projects to be a competitive Eastern Conference matchup. The Hornets’ NBA injury report was released on Wednesday night, and Pat Connaughton is among the players listed on it.
Connaughton is listed as questionable to play due to an illness. The Hornets would love to have the veteran available for the contest, but they will proceed with caution.
Tidjane Salaun is out for the game due to a left calf strain. Tosan Evbuomwan (G League two-way), PJ Hall (G League two-way) and Antonio Reeves (G League two-way) are all listed as out as well.
For the Knicks, Trey Jemison III (G League two-way), Dillon Jones (G League two-way) and Kevin McCullar Jr. (G League two-way) are all listed as questionable to play. Miles McBride (pelvic core muscle surgery) and Landry Shamet (right knee tibial plateau contusion) are both out for the matchup.
Charlotte will enter the game with a 38-34 overall record. New York, meanwhile, is 45-27. The Hornets are ninth in the Eastern Conference standings while the Knicks are in third place in the East. Charlotte has surprised the NBA world by playing a competitive brand of basketball. New York has played up to expectations for the most part, but the Knicks would love to jump ahead of the Boston Celtics, who are narrowly ahead of them for second place.
There will be plenty of stars on the floor on Thursday night. Nevertheless, both teams understand how important depth is. Having Connaughton available will only help the Hornets.
Pat Connaughton’s Impact on Hornets Should Not be Overlooked
Charlotte Hornets guard Pat Connaughton (21)Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
(Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)
Connaughton is only averaging 7.4 minutes per outing this season. He is recording per game averages of 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds overall. He probably will not make or break the Hornets’ chances of winning.
However, Charlotte features a young team for the most part. The 33-year-old Connaughton is able to come in and help from a leadership standpoint given his veteran prowess. Additionally, having him available in the scenario that a player who receives more minutes suffers an injury will be crucial as well. Connaughton’s minutes may be limited this year, but he is still shooting 39.6 percent from beyond the arc and can make an overall impact.
Thursday night’s game between the Knicks and Hornets is scheduled for 7 PM EST in Charlotte.
Related: LaMelo Ball Passes Dell Curry in Hornets’ Franchise History
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.