Bridges Takes Over vs Knicks, Clinches Postseason Spot for Hornets

The Hornets move to 40-37 on the season.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Wednesday night, the Charlotte Hornets clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 125-114 win over the New York Knicks.

The Hornets got off to a quick start jumping out to a 7-1 lead, but the tables turned in a heartbeat as the Knicks started hitting some shots from three (two from Julius Randle) to go on a 15-4 run. Charlotte did a good job of attacking the paint and were extremely unselfish, notching 19 assists in the first half. After one quarter of play, Miles Bridges and R.J. Barrett led their respective teams with 11 points each as the Knicks held a two-point advantage, 31-29.

The bench was huge for the Hornets, especially Kelly Oubre Jr. who led the team with 13 points at the break. The Hornets had 27 bench points to the New York's seven. After a back and forth start, the Hornets went into the locker room with a 58-55 lead.

Kelly Oubre continued to be big off the bench hitting a couple of threes, but it was Evan Fournier who stole the show knocking down four triples. Aside from Oubre, the Hornets only knocked one other three down, however, they pounded the ball inside and muscled their way to the rim possession after possession. Charlotte ended the quarter on a 7-0 run, creating a little separation with an eight-point lead, its largest of the game.

That lead extended to eleven, but the Hornets went through a bit of a dry spell offensively and the Knicks dissolved the deficit with an 11-2 run in just over two minutes of game time. Miles Bridges took over the game in the final three and a half minutes of the game scoring twelve straight for the Hornets, pushing the lead back to eleven and out of reach for New York. 

BOX SCORE

CHA: 29-29-33-34-125

NYK: 31-24-28-31-114

TEAM STATS (ACCUMULATIVE)

1st

CHA: 13/23 FG | 3/7 3FG | 7 REB | 18 PIP | 3 TOs

NYK: 13/21 FG | 3/9 3FG | 11 REB | 18 PIP | 5 TOs

2nd

CHA: 24/48 FG | 6/19 3FG | 19 REB | 34 PIP | 5 TOs

NYK: 20/45 FG | 6/21 3FG | 27 REB | 22 PIP | 6 TOs

3rd

CHA: 36/68 FG | 9/26 3FG | 28 REB | 52 PIP | 7 TOs

NYK: 29/64 FG | 13/33 3FG | 36 REB | 24 PIP | 9 TOs

4th

CHA: 49/90 FG | 12/35 3FG | 40 REB | 68 PIP | 12 TOs

NYK: 40/85 FG | 16/44 3FG | 43 REB | 40 PIP | 14 TOs

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us Twitter:

Facebook - All Hornets

Twitter - @SI_Hornets and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.