 just played (and) didn't worry about making mistakes, didn't worry about his shot fake and his shot and all that other stuff,'' Charlotte interim coach Stephen Silas said. ''He was just playing the game the way he knows he can. Hopefully we'll see that as we go forward with guys like Nic (Batum), guys like Frank and then the other guys, especially our bench guys, getting a little bit more consistency and confidence.'' Silas was able to use all 12 of his players in a game in which Charlotte (11-19) led by as much as 27 points.The Hornets snapped a three-game skid and ended the Knicks' four-game winning streak.Kaminsky entered late in the first quarter with the Hornets trailing 15-11 and he soon sparked a 22-4 run that turned a 19-15 deficit into a 37-23 lead with 10:25 left in the first half.Later, Kaminsky had eight points in a 17-3 surge that extended a 41-30 lead to 58-33 with 3:22 left in the half.''Well, when Kaminsky was in there he was able to spread them out,'' New York coach Jeff Hornacek said. ''And once he hits his first couple, he's a tough guy to deal with.'' Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 15 points and 10 rebounds, Marvin Williams scored 12 points and Dwight Howard finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte.Michael Beasley scored 23 points for New York.''We missed shots we usually make,'' Knicks forward Lance Thomas said. ''We missed a lot of layups at the basket and a bunch of open threes from some of our better shooters on the team.TIP INS:Knicks: Forward Kristaps Porzingis missed his second straight game with left knee soreness. Coach Jeff Hornacek said Porzingis went through shootaround Monday morning before the decision was made.... Guard Tim Hardaway Jr., missed his ninth game with a stress injury to his left leg.Hornets: Monday marked two full weeks that Silas has filled in for Steve Clifford while Clifford continues to deal with an undisclosed health issue. ''He's pretty much at where he was a couple weeks ago, so I speak to him every day,'' Silas said. ''... I talked to him yesterday for quite a while and he's kind of still in the same place, trying to figure out what's going on and we're just kind of subbing right now.'' SHOOTAROUND DECISIONThe decision to sit Porzingis came after Monday morning's shootaround. ''It still kind of felt like it did the other night, so we're going to hold him out again,'' Hornacek said. ''... He went through shootaround and kind of did the same routine he did the other day, just to test the different ways that he moves. And he still felt it.'' HOME-COURT ADVANTAGEMonday's win was Charlotte's seventh straight on its home court over the Knicks. New York's last win in Charlotte was in November 2013.UP NEXTKnicks: Host Celtics on Thursday night.Hornets: Host Raptors on Wednesday night.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball)
Dec 17, 2017 The New York Knicks hope to avoid a letdown between attention-grabbing matchups Monday night when they make a one-day trip to Charlotte to face the Hornets.The Knicks prevailed in an emotional reunion with Carmelo Anthony and the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-96 on Saturday night. They will host the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday.In between, they will head south to deal with the Hornets, who have lost 10 of their last 12, including two in a row to begin a four-game homestand.The Knicks outscored the Hornets 118-113 in an earlier meeting in New York with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way with a game-high 28 points.New York might have to do without their leading scorer Monday night as he missed the Oklahoma City game with a sore left knee and remains questionable.Michael Beasley responded to the challenge of Anthony's return and Porzingis' absence to score a career-high 30 points in the win over the Thunder."It just shows the resiliency, the perseverance of this team," Beasley said of the short-handed win. "It shows you that we've got a lot of guys who can step up and fill the void if needed. Me being one of them." The Knicks will see a Hornets team with both its star players healthy but coming off subpar efforts in a 93-91 loss to Portland on Saturday.Kemba Walker was outplayed by rival point guard Damian Lillard, limited to 14 points on 9-for-26 shooting.Walker, who sprained his left wrist in Friday's home loss to Miami, misfired on short jumper and a driving layup in the final seconds that could have been difference-makers in the loss."Kemba obviously had a rough night, but he gutted it out," Hornets interim coach Stephen Silas assessed. "The plays that he had down the stretch, I wouldn't want the ball in anybody else's hands." The two late misses gave Walker a season-high for missed shots (19). He also recorded his lowest point total since another 14 almost a month earlier -- Nov. 20 against Minnesota.Lillard, meanwhile, had an 18-point, 11-assist double-double in the win.Howard had a game-high 15 rebound against the Trail Blazers, but like Walker had a tough time putting the ball in the hoop. He shot just 3 for 10 and finished with nine points, snapping a streak of 15 straight games in double figures.Walker and Howard scored 21 points apiece in the earlier loss at New York.The game matches a team that's been bad on the road against a team that has struggled at home.The Knicks are tied with, coincidentally, the Hornets and Dallas Mavericks for fewest road wins (two) in the NBA this season. They have lost six of their last seven away from home.After Thursday's home matchup with the Celtics, the Knicks will play seven of their next nine on the road.Charlotte, meanwhile, has failed to take advantage of a stretch of eight of 10 at home. The Hornets have dropped five of its first six home games in the run.
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