Knicks: Good news and bad news from dramatic 99-98 victory over Hornets

Despite the Charlotte Hornets missing five of their top six scorers, the New York Knicks found themselves in a dogfight with them Friday afternoon and narrowly escaped with a 99-98 victory. New York is now back in the win column as they improve to 11-8 while Charlotte dropped their fourth straight game to fall to 6-13.

Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride were the saviors of the Knicks

The Knicks would not have been in a position to win if not for Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride. Brunson led the way with a team-high 31 points, along with six rebounds and six assists. He took over the game down the stretch with 11 fourth-quarter points and knocked down five clutch free throws in the period.

McBride brought the energy and hustle that woke the Knicks up. He scored 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the floor and 2-for-5 from three. The game changed in the fourth quarter when McBride stole the ball and dunked it to give New York a three-point lead and all of the momentum.

Those two players made the biggest difference for the Knicks, and they both stepped up big time when the team desperately needed someone to shift the momentum in their favor.

Josh Hart bounced back nicely with a double-double

After a quiet night in Dallas on Wednesday, Josh Hart bounced back with another double-double on Friday against the Hornets. He finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds along with five assists.

Hart made his usual impact plays that helped keep the Knicks afloat. He also provided a spark and quickened the pace offensively following a horrid first quarter in which the Knicks scored just 15 points and turned the ball over six times.

Karl-Anthony Towns also helped on the glass with a double-double of his own, as he scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Their hustle on the interior played a big part in the Knicks winning the rebound battle 44-39.

Mikal Bridges’ struggles continue

Mikal Bridges has struggled to adapt to his new role with the Knicks, as he endured a rough game against the Hornets on Friday with just eight points on 3-for-10 shooting from the floor and 1-for-4 from three.

Bridges was a -14 in the game despite winning by one, a figure that amplifies what has been a rough road trip for Bridges. In the five-game road trip, Bridges averaged just 13 points and shot 36.5% from the field and 29.4% from three.

Considering that the Knicks traded away five first-round picks to acquire Bridges in the offseason, they would like for him to turn things around and provide better on-court performances. Growing pains were expected coming into the season, but now that the season is 19 games in, it is time for significant improvements to come to fruition.

The Knicks barely escaped with a win that should’ve been a blowout. Regardless, they will take the victory knowing that they have a lot to improve on if they want to be contenders. The Knicks will now finally head back home for four games starting on Sunday with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.