Knicks maintain home-court dominance in 119-104 win over Hornets

The Knicks extended their home winning streak to four games on Wednesday night, overcoming some lulls on offense and defense to beat the Hornets, 119-104, at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for Karl-Anthony Towns to assert dominance in the paint. He contributed a team-high 10 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter, more than half the production he delivered against the Hornets down in Charlotte just a week ago (19 points, 10 rebounds). The Knicks' lead reached an effortless 15 points after 12 minutes, and with tough defense that forced six turnovers, they held the Hornets to a measly 12 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Interestingly enough, the Knicks couldn't buy a bucket behind the arc in the first -- they made just one, via Mikal Bridges, on nine attempts. The effort was far worse from the Hornets, however -- they started an unacceptable 2-of-14 from three.

-- The Knicks' offense was anything but aesthetically pleasing in the second quarter. A lead that extended to 20 points with 7:46 remaining was cut in half just three minutes later, and that quick 14-3 run from the Hornets forced the Knicks to burn a timeout. The message from head coach Mike Brown didn't seem to translate either, as the Hornets took advantage of Knicks mistakes by cutting their deficit down to three, 50-47, just a minute before halftime. The praise for strong first-quarter defense was premature -- the Knicks gave up 35 second-quarter points.

-- While the first half ended on a three-point buzzer-beater from Jalen Brunson, extending the Knicks' lead to 53-47, they struggled to correct their efficiency issues early in the third quarter. Call it lucky timing, as the Hornets weren't equipped for any exploitation. Steadily, the Knicks regained composure on both ends of the floor and pushed their lead back up to 18, midway through the period. After three, they led 90-75 behind more flexing from both Towns and Brunson around the perimeter.

-- Fears of the Knicks wasting another comfortable lead seemed to disappear when the fourth quarter began. They opened the period on a 7-0 run, stretching the margin to a game-high 22 with 9:28 left, and by the 7:03 mark, all five Knicks starters reached double-digit points. Much to the Hornets' credit, they kept on buzzing. Lamelo Ball commanded the rallying effort, reaching 31 points midway through the final quarter and making the Knicks sweat. But the stark difference in talent kept the Knicks from further stress, as Towns and Brunson flipped the switch back on and bumped the lead back to 16 with 1:36 to go. The closing seconds were sloppy, but harmless.

-- The spotlight naturally belonged to Towns and Brunson, who combined for 61 points on 22 of 39 shooting. But it was Josh Hart who flirted with a triple-double, posting 15 points with eight rebounds and assists apiece in yet another start. Miles McBride, filling in for an injured OG Anunoby, also contributed 15 points on 4 of 9 shooting. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson added six points each off the bench.

-- While the Knicks committed one more foul (19) than the Hornets (18) overall, they weren't whistled for the first 17:09 of the game, a new NBA record this season. They were charged for their sixth foul midway through the third quarter. Ironically, the Knicks still had a player foul out -- bench man Ariel Hukporti hacked six in just 13 minutes of action. He'll remember blocking two shots, though.

Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns

The Knicks' big man recorded his 16th double-double of the season, finishing with a stout 35 points, 18 boards, and five assists in 39 minutes. It was also his seventh 30-10-5 performance with the team.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks (14-7) will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, with a matchup against the Utah Jazz (7:30 tip-off).