No Kristaps Porzingis. No Tim Hardaway Jr. No chance. The Knicks were competitive for six minutes, then spent the rest of the night Murphy Law-ing their way to a 109-91 drubbing in Charlotte against the Hornets.
Early on Michael Beasley was blocking shots and dominating the boards; the prescient and the cynical among us knew this meant it would not be New York’s night.
B-Easy’s block party in Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/T8tGLctioB
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 19, 2017
From the midpoint of the first on, the Knicks could do no right. The Hornets? They couldn’t do anything wrong. They got out on the break.
MKG takes it coast to coast for the and-1!!! #NYKatCHA #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/PnO8Xe7obm
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 19, 2017
A lot. The Knick turnovers (17) didn’t help.
Nic takes it the other way for✌️!!!#NYKatCHA #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/UJ3KaUnFHV
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 19, 2017
They outscored the Knicks by 18 on three-pointers.
FRANK #NYKatCHA #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/uhlcFo8NuZ
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 19, 2017
They were getting to the rim anyway they wanted: dribble penetration, offensive rebounds (they outscored the Knicks 19-0 on second-chance points), or passing and cutting.
Check out this pass from @nicolas88batum to @MCW1 #NYKatCHA #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/TroCrigNNF
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 19, 2017
There was even one play where the entire arena was jammed through a time machine set for 2009.
DWIGHT!!!! #NYKatCHA #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/XxWXWLxwRI
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 19, 2017
No tragic heroes tonight for the Knicks. No moral victories. They were undermanned, they played like it, and they got spanked on the road. Again. It happens. Recap to follow.