Securing a berth in the knockout round of the NBA Cup is just another step for New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who remains focused on his team’s readiness when the Charlotte Hornets visit Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
The Knicks completed a 4-0 sweep through East Group A of the in-season tournament with a commanding 121-106 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. Karl-Anthony Towns (23 points) and Jalen Brunson (21 points) led a balanced offensive effort that saw six Knicks score in double figures.
New York, the No. 2 seed in the East quarterfinals of the Cup, will face the Atlanta Hawks next Wednesday. For now, Thibodeau is more concerned with the present challenge.
Thibodeau has been particularly pleased with his team’s recent ball movement, as the Knicks have tallied 30 assists in each of their last two games. In contrast, they managed only 20 assists when they narrowly edged the Hornets 99-98 last Friday.
The Hornets had a tougher time on Tuesday, falling 110-104 to the Philadelphia 76ers. This loss marked Charlotte’s sixth straight, with five of those defeats coming by six points or fewer.
Hornets coach Charles Lee hopes his team can get off to a quicker start on Thursday after trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half against Philadelphia.
Brandon Miller has been a bright spot for the Hornets during their losing streak, averaging 26.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over the past six games. Charlotte has been relying on the second-year player since star guard LaMelo Ball went down with a calf strain, expected to sideline him for two weeks.
Vasilije Micic has stepped in for Ball, averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in his three starts.
Friday’s loss was the Hornets’ fifth straight against the Knicks. Charlotte has not beaten New York since March 7, 2023.
