The New York Knicks host the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, April 12, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
The Knicks are 53-28 and third in the East with a 30-9 home record, while the Hornets are 43-38 and ninth in the East with a 22-18 road record.
The Knicks are coming off a dominant 112-95 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, their fifth win in a row. The Hornets are coming off a 118-100 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday as well. This will be the fourth and final encounter between the teams this season, with the Knicks holding a 2-1 advantage over the Hornets. The last game between the teams was on March 26, 2026, with the Hornets picking up a 114-103 win.
The Knicks have ruled most of their core players out for this game already, except for Mikal Bridges, who’ll likely play a few minutes to keep his consecutive games started streak alive. Jordan Clarkson will likely lead the Knicks as their best offensive option, averaging 8.7 points in 17.8 minutes per game this season. Young guard Miles McBride will also get an opportunity to show off his skills, averaging 11.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season.
The Hornets will be playing their core players, led by LaMelo Ball in a season where he’s averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. Rookie Kon Knueppel will hope to secure the Rookie of the Year trophy in his final regular-season outing as a rookie, averaging 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over the season.
The competitive sting from this matchup went away when the Knicks decided to rule their core players out, but the Hornets will be looking to secure a win on the chance it allows them to move up to No. 8 in the East.
Injury Report
Knicks
Jalen Brunson: Out (ankle)
OG Anunoby: Out (ankle)
Josh Hart: Out (ankle)
Mitchell Robinson: Out (ankle)
Karl-Anthony Towns: Out (elbow)
Tyler Kolek: Out (elbow)
Hornets
Coby White: Probable (knee)
P.J. Hall: Out (ankle)
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
It’s hard to list out conventional advantages for the Knicks when they’re headed into this clash without most of their core players. They’ve run an aggressive and short rotation for most of the season, so New York’s advantage in this game will be the fact that their lineups will have an element of randomness that the Hornets can’t predict. Even if the Knicks’ fate as the No. 3 seed is secured, they won’t come out and have a careless performance since many of the players playing will be looking to prove to the coaching staff they deserve minutes in the postseason.
Most season indicators are pointless for the Knicks now since their available roster will be drastically different from what we’ve seen over the year. However, some habits should hold strong, such as the team’s 290.4 passes per game. Shooting might be a major swing factor, with the Knicks taking 38.2 threes per game this season and converting at a 37.3 3P%. Most of the bench players who will get heavy minutes against the Hornets are strong shooters, so this could allow the Knicks to open up a scoring avenue the Hornets won’t be able to stop.
The Knicks have a 118.9 defensive rating on the season, which has been carried by their core players. However, coach Mike Brown has put a pretty aggressive defensive system in place already, which forces his players to make an effort to try and restrict teams, especially against outside shooting units. Even if Anunoby and Hart aren’t available, the Knicks will hope they can continue disrupting offenses on the perimeter enough to continue holding opponents to 36.2 3P%.
Why The Hornets Have The Advantage
The Hornets will come into this game with more advantages than they can count. They already beat the full-strength Knicks in a clash just a few weeks ago, so coming into this game with their core rotation players all available is going to be their biggest advantage. The Knicks’ backups might be hard-nosed, but the skill-gap with these Hornets might be too much for them to overcome, especially with the Hornets actively looking for a win in case it helps them secure the No. 8 seed instead of the No. 9.
The Hornets will look to take their marginal rebounding advantage against the Knicks to new heights without Towns and Robinson on the other end. Charlotte averages 46.1 rebounds per game and 12.8 offensive rebounds per game, which helps them record the second-most second-chance points (17.7 PPG) in the NBA this season.
Charlotte’s biggest advantage against almost every opponent they face is their incredible three-point shooting. They take 43.2 three-point attempts per game this season and convert them at a 37.9 3P%. They rank second in the NBA in attempts and third in 3P%, so they’ve proven themselves as one of the best shooting teams in the NBA. A full-strength Knicks squad has the tools to slow this Hornets offense down, but it’s hard to imagine them even standing a chance with the weak roster they’ll be fielding.
The Hornets will hope to shrug off their last two losses in this game, as those losses essentially ended their bid for a top-six seed in the East. Nonetheless, Charlotte has been one of the best teams in the NBA since January, holding a 22-10 record in that span as well as a 121.7 offensive and a 111.7 defensive rating. They might not be the red-hot franchise they were just a few weeks ago, but they’re one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA, especially when facing shorthanded opponents.
X-Factors
Brandon Miller might be the true second option on the Hornets roster, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in his third NBA season. Miller has proven this season that he can be one of the best offensive players in the NBA, whether it’s on or off the ball. His defensive output is also crucial in Charlotte’s success. With the Knicks being shorthanded, this might be the perfect opportunity for Miller to have a dominant game that will set the tone before his first-ever postseason appearance.
Midseason acquisition Coby White is averaging 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists with the Hornets. He’s a strong guard scoring option off the bench, already looking comfortable as the team’s sixth man. This should be a tune-up game for White as well, with the guard being a veteran of the Play-In Tournament in the last few seasons with the Chicago Bulls.
Landry Shamet will likely get extended minutes as a two-way wing option. He’s averaging 9.3 points this season. His veteran defensive instincts could help against the Hornets, as he’ll be a low-maintenance offensive player who can stretch the floor in the corner. Shamet’s experience could stifle Charlotte on the perimeter.
Jose Alvarado joined the Knicks as a midseason addition and has enjoyed some bright moments with the franchise. He’s averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 assists on the Knicks, providing dynamic guard play as a playmaker and high-level defender. He is capable of having an offensive impact if things break right, but it seems his best use in this game will be as an active defender on the Hornets’ perimeter options.
Prediction
The Hornets need a win to make sure they enter the postseason in good form, whether it’s as the No. 8 or the No. 9 seed in the conference. This is a golden opportunity for the franchise, as the Knicks have already waved the proverbial white flag by resting most of their players for this one.
Prediction: Knicks 107, Hornets 124
