Time Warner Cable Arena was hoppin’ on Veterans’ Day as the Knicks came into town. The crowd was into the game, it was exciting late, and that is all you can really ask for! Also, there was dunking and trampolines, which trumps almost all other halftime entertainment. I thought these things:
- Batum: really lived up to expectations on the offensive end tonight. It is unrealistic to expect a guy with career 11 ppg average to suddenly be a 20+ ppg scorer consistently, but tonight he was really cooking as the focal point of the offense, and he finished with a very important 24.
- The BENCH!!!: How happy are we about these offseason acquisitions? It is unreal! Lin and Lamb are scoring seemingly at will right now, and Hawes, even though he is consistently failing the eye test, has some excellent +/- numbers right now. Those three are really keeping the ball moving and consistently heading through the cylinder. The bench crew played huge minutes in the 3rd and 4th quarters, helping the Hornets fight back from a double digit deficit to a tie game midway through the final period. Lin in particular was spectacular in the 4th quarter. Clifford left Kemba, Al, and PJ (All of whom struggled greatly) on the bench for the entire 4th quarter, letting the hot bench keep the game competitive. I like the idea of tracking Zeller+Lin+Lamb scoring. Last night they had 51, tonight they combined for 43 points.
- Rookie Report: Kaminsky saw some extended playing today, which means he was on the floor for 10 minutes. I saw some positive things! He had three steals and an assist in those short minutes, which are great things for a big man to do. I keep hoping those minutes will grow and reach the 15+ minute mark sometime this season.
- Of course, Turnovers: This really helped Charlotte to keep this game close. The Knicks turned the ball over 16 times, and the Hornets only gave away possession 5 times during regulation. That careful possession of the ball is stellar, and shows a concerted effort to be conscientious about where the ball goes.
- Free Throws: This was bad, and falls mainly on Cody Zeller’s shoulders. He missed 7 free throws, and the team missed 11 free throws together. Really left some important points out on the court, as the freebies should be going down at a higher rate. We have to hope that Zeller is not too deep in his own head right now, as his shooting in general has really dropped from his good stretch in the middle of last season. Granted, his role has changed, but he really needs that jumper to fall, even if it is from three point range. (BUUUUUT, Zeller redeemed himself with the game winner)
What a game! Such drama! Almost so depressing…...This was a huge win for the Hornets. The Knicks are much improved from last year, both in roster and in execution, and they are going to be fighting the Charlotteans for a playoff spot all year. Porzingis really deserved that win, but hey, sometimes you catch a .01 second break.
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