The Knicks entered Thursday night on a seven-game winning streak with a chance to clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
That playoff spot will have to wait. A Hornets team fighting for its own playoff berth raced to a 114-103 win in Charlotte.
Rookie Kon Knueppel led the Hornets effort with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists while shooting 6 of 10 from 3.
The Hornets won their fifth straight to improve to 39-34. They appear to be safely in the East play-in with a 9.5-game lead over the Bucks and Bulls, who are tied for 11th place. They’re among four teams (Magic, 76ers, Heat) in striking distance of the 40-32 Raptors and 41-32 Hawks for the final two guaranteed playoff spots in the East.
The Knicks, meanwhile, fall to 48-26 in third place in the East. They’re 5.5 games behind the Pistons and one game behind the Celtics. The Pistons are the only team in the East to have clinched a guaranteed playoff spot.