The shorthanded Knicks beat the Hornets to win 113-108 in the preseason finale
The deliberately short-handed Knicks ended their preseason schedule on a high note, topping the Hornets, 113-108, Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— As much as the Knicks wanted their final exhibition game to serve as a true dress rehearsal with the regular season opener less than a week away, coach Mike Brown he ultimately erred on the side of caution with some slammed starters. Before the match, he ruled it out Josh Hart (Backwards), City of Karl-Anthony (quadrilateral) e OG Anunoby (ankle) as a preventative measure. Mitchel Robinson (load management) was also given the night off.
– The emphasis on faster ball movement and frequent three-point shots was evident from the jump. Being the only regular Knicks lineup, Jalen Brunson he scored 15 points in the first quarter (12 shots) with two assists and two rebounds in 11 minutes, while Mikal Bridges added five points with four rebounds in seven minutes. The scheduled rest for key players has been pushed Jordan Clarkson top five, and proved his value as an impact bench scorer by scoring eight points with a pair of made threes. Overall, the Knicks shot 39 percent (7-of-18) from beyond the arc in the period.
— Among the bench players competing for a spot on the roster is Landry Shametand the veteran guard showed some shrewd physicality in the second quarter to force a pair of Hornets turnovers. He also scored five points in 11 minutes. Tyler Kolek logged the fewest first-half minutes (6) in the 10-man rotation, and before halftime, Brunson produced 20 points (7-of-15 shooting) and appeared to debut a new archery-style hand celebration. Returning to the stress on three-point shots: the Knicks took 30 to 24 minutes. They led 64-54 at halftime on 47 percent shooting.
— Brunson and Bridges didn’t treat the preseason finale like a practice session. They maintained their regular-season pace in the third quarter, combining for 12 points to bring their game totals to 27 and 14, respectively. There was a brief injury scare Miles McBride midway through the period, when he landed awkwardly on the baseline after emphatically fending off a runner. Even as he gingerly stood up with a limp, he remained in the game and seemed to recover from the discomfort. The Knicks were outscored by seven points in the third, but still held a 90-87 lead.
— The start of the fourth quarter wasn’t the end for the Knicks’ star duo. Bridges continued to work hard in transition, landing a slap shot that preceded a one-handed slam midway through the period. Brunson, who was replaced with 3:33 left in the third, returned with 7:41 remaining in regulation. Of course, it was no dress rehearsal for the Knicks’ starting three, but their captain lived up to his mid-season form with a commendable 31 points in 34 minutes. Bridges also performed at a high level, collecting 16 points with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes.
— “I thought we did some pretty good things tonight, especially bringing in two young guys [Mohamed Diawara] AND [Trey Jemison]”But we played spurts too many times,” Brown said. “We just need to be a little more consistent with what we’re doing. And if we do that, we’ll have a chance to be pretty good.”
— Brown set a goal for the Knicks to average 40 3-pointers per game this season, and they achieved that goal by making 48 with a success rate of 38%. While the team struggled to contain the Hornets’ starters Bridges of miles AND Collin Sexton – they scored 41 points – they still forced 21 turnovers and won battles with rebounds (44-41), steals (11-9) and paint points (40-34). McBride found his rhythm off the bench, scoring 15 points with four assists in 24 minutes, while Shamet added six second-half points to finish with 11 in 20 minutes. Clarkson reached 13 points in 23 minutes.
Highlights
Clarkson shoots immediately pic.twitter.com/LOmbiruwq7
— Knicks Video (@sny_knicks) October 17, 2025
Jalen👌 pic.twitter.com/YnDgCXA4da
— Knicks Video (@sny_knicks) October 18, 2025
Brunson behind Jemison! pic.twitter.com/BMp6k1C1HS
— Knicks Video (@sny_knicks) October 18, 2025
Mikal bang! pic.twitter.com/3RR1aeouMR
— Knicks Video (@sny_knicks) October 18, 2025
What’s the next step?
The Knicks will begin the regular season at home on Wednesday night, in a highly anticipated matchup with the Cavaliers (7pm kickoff).