May 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three point basket in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons during game six of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The New York Knicks missed out on an opportunity to clinch a position in the postseason following a 114-101 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night at Spectrum Centre in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points and 13 assists, but it wasn’t enough to stop Kon Knueppel and his crew from ending New York’s extended winning streak at seven games.
Brunson started the game with a 17-point first quarter, but cooled off considerably over the remainder of the game. The 29-year-old guard secured his first double-double since March 4 and it represents his ninth contest this season with at least 10+ points and assists. Teammate Karl-Anthony Towns leads the NBA with 51 double-doubles in 69 games during the 2025-26 campaign. Denver’s Nikola Jokic is the only person within shouting distance of Towns’ league-leading mark at 49 double-doubles in 59 contests for the Nuggets this year.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown spoke about the adjustments he had made that has allowed Towns to flourish in New York this season. “I had to adjust to him as well,” Brown said after the Knicks 121-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on March 24 following a 21-point, 14-rebound by Towns. “That’s what a season is about. I had to make some adjustments to figure out how I could get him involved a little bit better, get him to feel a little more comfortable.” The 30-year-old center has recorded a double-double in nearly every game since the calendar flipped over to the month of March. The Knicks big man finished with 13 points and three rebounds in the loss on Thursday.
New York will lean on Brunson and Towns to reach the postseason over the next few weeks. Given their recent string of success, the Knicks still have a chance to win the Atlantic Division, but the Boston Celtics hold two games in hand heading into the final weeks of the 2025-26 campaign. New York (48-26) holds a 12-3 record against the Atlantic, while Boston has struggled with a 9-5 record against divisional opponents. Still, both teams own a 7-3 mark over their last 10 games, so the fight for the division crown could come down to the final regular season fight between the two clubs in Midtown Manhattan at Madison Square Garden on April 9.
There is no reason for Knicks fans to panic as there is plenty of time to clinch that playoff berth over the final eight games of the regular season. New York finishes out the month on this four-game road trip with the next stop in Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
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