The New York Knicks entered Thursday night riding a seven-game winning streak, the hottest run in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets had won four straight at home and were coming off a massive 44-point win over the Sacramento Kings, their fourth-largest victory in franchise history. And they were in no mood to slow down.
The Hornets outscored the Knicks in three of the four quarters to seal a 114-103 victory that ended New York’s surge. After the game, Josh Hart had the precise answer about exactly what outlasted his squad. Hart didn’t sugarcoat it after the loss. The ninth-year player pointed directly to Charlotte’s relentless tempo as the deciding factor.
“I think their pace. They played like they were shot out of a cannon,” Hart said. “I felt like we were a step slower in a lot of those actions… They got Melo, who pushed the pace a lot, they have multiple ball-handlers in that unit, so they don’t just rely on him.”
The Hornets rank among the league’s fastest teams at home, and it showed from the opening tip. They jumped out to a 24-14 lead in the first six minutes, fueled by LaMelo Ball’s aggression. The Knicks couldn’t recover.
Ball has been playing the best basketball of his career over the past month. Brandon Miller recently called him “the head of the snake” for Charlotte, and nights like Thursday show why. Ball finished with 22 points and six assists, setting the tone early while his teammates fed off his energy.
“Anytime we win, we’re having fun. I feel like I was born for moments like this,” Ball said after the game. “I’ve been hooping my whole life, second nature for real.”
Kon Knueppel’s Historic Night Lights Up Hornets’ Win
Rookie Kon Knueppel poured in a game-high 26 points on six 3-pointers, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to reach 250 threes in a single season. The 20-year-old also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished eight assists, narrowly missing his first career triple-double.
Knueppel now leads the NBA with 253 made threes, 11 ahead of second-place Luka Doncic. He knows what’s at stake down the stretch.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) fights for possession with New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second half at the Spectrum Center.Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
(Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
“We want to play in big-time games. This is a big-time game,” Knueppel said. “The rest of these games for us are big-time, playoff-like games. They determine our seeding, and we want to give ourselves the best chance we can for the playoffs.”
The Hornets improved to 39-34 with the win, pulling into a three-way tie with the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte has nine games remaining and hosts the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
Related: Hornets Announce Franchise History After 44-Point Win Over Kings
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.