(Field Level Media) Emmanuel Mudiay scored a career-high 34 points, and the visiting New York Knicks rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the Charlotte Hornets 126-124 in overtime last night.
Mudiay hit a layup for a 126-121 lead with 17 seconds remaining, and the Knicks held on from there although the Hornets had a chance to tie at the buzzer, when Kemba Walker missed a drive in traffic.
It was a shocker after the Hornets led 72-53 at halftime and 93-78 going into the fourth quarter. It was payback, as well, after the Hornets rolled to a 119-107 victory in New York last Sunday. The Hornets led by as many as 28 in that game.
The Knicks snapped a five-game losing streak with the win, while the Hornets had a three-game winning streak snapped.
The Knicks also got 20 points from Kevin Knox, 15 each from Noah Vonleh and Enes Kanter, 13 from Luke Kornet and 12 from Tim Hardaway Jr. Vonleh also added 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Hardaway Jr. hit a 3-pointer on the Knicks’ first possession of overtime, and the Knicks never trailed again.
Nicolas Batum and Cody Zeller led the Hornets with 21 points apiece and Marvin Williams scored 20. Jeremy Lamb and Walker scored 16 each, although Walker shot just 6 of 20 from the field and Lamb was 7-for-21. Zeller also had 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
The Hornets led 33-16 after one quarter and 72-53 at halftime, with the biggest lead of 21 coming early in the second quarter. Charlotte still had a big lead at 93-78 entering the fourth quarter. But the Knicks fought back and took the lead on two occasions down the stretch. They had a chance to win at the end of regulation but Mudiay missed a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer.
The Hornets were playing the second game of a five-game homestand. They will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. The Knicks were playing the second game of a three-game road trip. They will close out the trip on Sunday at Indiana.
