Having secured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks will opt to rest several key players in their final regular-season game against the Charlotte Hornets. The Knicks, boasting a 53-28 record and on a five-game win streak, recently defeated the Toronto Raptors 112-95.

New York’s focus is on their upcoming first-round playoff series, scheduled for next weekend. Conversely, the Hornets (43-38) are bound for the East’s play-in tournament after a 118-100 loss to the Detroit Pistons extinguished hopes for a guaranteed playoff spot. Charlotte, having lost two consecutive games post a four-game winning streak, will aim for the ninth seed with a win against the Knicks, or drop to 10th if they lose and the Miami Heat win.

In their recent loss, the Hornets saw LaMelo Ball contribute 27 points and eight assists, while Brandon Miller added 22 points and four steals. However, defensive lapses with 62 points allowed in the paint and being outscored 25-10 in the fourth quarter plagued the Hornets.

Rookie standout Kon Knueppel, despite scoring 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, managed to join a select group of NBA players with at least 270 made 3-pointers in a season. Charlotte also struggled to secure second-chance points, being outscored 27-12 in this category.

The previous meeting between the Hornets and Knicks on March 26 saw the Hornets emerge victorious with a 114-103 scoreline in Charlotte. Meanwhile, New York’s 30-9 home record was celebrated following their latest win against the Raptors.

Key players like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns stood out for the Knicks, contributing crucial points and rebounds. New York shot an impressive 54.7 percent from the field and dominated in the paint, outscoring Toronto 58-40.

Moving forward, the Knicks will be monitoring the status of forward OG Anunoby, who suffered a left ankle injury during the game and will sit out Sunday’s game for recovery. With the playoffs approaching, New York is focused on maintaining their momentum and fine-tuning their strategies for the postseason challenges ahead.