Game preview: Charlotte Hornets return home to face KAT, Brunson, and the red-hot New York Knicks
The Charlotte Hornets, losers of six straight and nine of their last ten, have a tall task ahead of them tonight if they want to snap out of their funk.
Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns, and the New York Knicks come rolling into town with a 10-6 record and one of the league’s premier offensive attacks. Heading into tonight’s matchup, the Knicks rank third in offensive efficiency (per Cleaning the Glass), scoring a blistering 122.0 points per 100 possessions.
Their attack is spearheaded by the aforementioned Brunson and Towns, who blitz opposing defenses when they share the floor together. Their chemistry in screening actions, combined with Brunson’s isolation proficiency and KAT’s limitless range make them a duo that you can only hope to contain because you are futile to try and stop them all together.
Thankfully, the Hornets come into tonight’s matchup relatively healthy. The only rotation player who will be in street clothes tonight (other than Josh Green and Grant Williams who have yet to suit up in 2025) is reserve wing Pat Connaughton.
Tonight marks only the fourth time this season that Charlotte will be able to run out their preferred starting lineup of LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, and it will be imperative for that five-man unit to start fast.
The Hornets have the league’s third-best first quarter offense (123.3 offensive rating per NBA.com) while the Knicks boast a league average offense and defense in the opening salvo. Charlotte will hope to get out and run against New York and light up the scoreboard early before their scoring punch inevitably begins to lose some juice as the game wears on.
Key matchup: Karl Anthony-Towns vs. Charlotte’s front court
KAT is the type of big man that gives the Hornets fits.
Seven-footers who can stretch the floor have crushed Charlotte all season as the Hornets play a specific brand of defense that gets stretched thin by five-out attacks, which New York will deploy at some point tonight even if they don’t start in that alignment.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, the assumed starter at center tonight, lives in drop coverage on defense, meaning he sinks below screening actions to swallow up guards who attack the rim. That coverage can get blitzed by big men who can pop out of screens and fire away from downtown which is KAT’s calling card.
It’s safe to assume that Miles Bridges will draw the KAT assignment from the opening tip and Kalkbrenner will be stationed in the paint as he guards a non-shooter (either Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart, depending who starts) leaving a player like Hart to shoot open three-pointers if they attempt to space the floor.
This was Charlotte’s approach on Sunday evening against the Hawks, as Mason Plumlee was the primary defender on Dyson Daniels for stretches as head coach Charles Lee was happy to let Daniels attempt to pick the Hornets apart from deep.
If Hart’s shot isn’t falling, or New York starts a more traditional center in Mitchell Robinson, Charlotte will have a chance to contain the Knicks dominant offensive attack with their gameplan of leaving Kalkbrenner stationed in the paint to slow down drivers.
Injury report
Charlotte Hornets: OUT Pat Connaughton (R Calf), Josh Green (L Shoulder), Grant Williams (R Knee)
New York Knicks: OUT Landry Shamet (R Shoulder), OG Anunoby (Hamstring)
Projected starting lineups
Charlotte Hornets
New York Knicks
Point Guard
LaMelo Ball
Jalen Brunson
Shooting Guard
Kon Knueppel
Deuce McBride
Small Forward
Brandon Miller
Mikal Bridges
Power Forward
Miles Bridges
Karl Anthony-Towns
Center
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Mitchell Robinson
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