Backup Knicks fall to Charlotte in futile finale (Highlights)

Mikal Bridges was the only regular Knicks starter who dressed, entering for the sole purpose of keeping his streak of consecutive games alive. Miles “Deuce” McBride scored 21 points to lead five New Yorkers in double-figures.

Bridges played but 23 seconds before taking a foul but that was just enough to extend his tally to 638, the longest active number on the Association ledgers and eighth-longest all-time. Jordan Clarkson relieved him shortly after, allowing Bridges to join his fellow headliners in absentia.

Locked into the third seed on the Eastern Conference bracket, New York sat OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson. Even with the backups rising, the Knicks (53-29) never let Charlotte get too comfortable.

Charlotte finally generated enough distance when Coby White free throws gave it a permanent double-figure lead with 2:46 to go in the third. A run of eight straight in the fourth, capped off by a Kon Knueppel and-one and a Sion James three, gave the Hornets their largest advantage of 21 and rendered the rest of the game ceremonial.

That did little to damper the enthusiasm of the Knicks on the bench and the fans in attendance, who got to witness several career-best showings from the more buried representatives.

Kevin McCullar and Pacome Dadiet, 2024 draft picks, posted personal bests of 14 and 12 points respectively. Successor Mohamad Diawara lacked his usual three-point touch (0-of-5) in his seventh start of his debut season but tossed six assists. Jeremy Sochan was right behind him with five, pairing his helpers with 12 points and six boards in his most extensive work as a Knick.

The Hornets (44-38) were assured of their best record since 2015-16 but still had a little bit to play for and achieved it with Sunday’s win: they not only split their four-game set with the Knicks but also secured homecourt advantage in their Play-In showdown with Miami on Wednesday night. White, LaMelo Ball, and Brandon Miller (who left the second half with a head injury after an encounter with McCullar under the net) each had 19 points in the win.

Other results on Sunday night moved the Knicks into a first-round battle with the sixth-place Atlanta Hawks, who draw New York for the third time in postseason history. Game 1 will likely be staged over next weekend.