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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s too little too late but the Knicks staged a perfect night at Spectrum Center with young and old producing.
While veteran guard Evan Fournier set a new franchise record for most 3-pointers in a season, breaking John Starks’ mark, the Knicks youngsters were impressive and they routed the Hornets Wednesday from start to finish, 121-106.
Without their starting frontcourt of Julius Randle (sore quad) and Mitchell Robinson (sore back), the Knicks didn’t miss a beat and they sank 20 3-pointers — four off their franchise record, thrilling a large contingent of Knicks fans in the arena.
Obi Toppin, their 2020 lottery pick, filled in at power forward, scored 10 points in the first quarter and finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, capped by an alley-oop slam with 2:00 left.
Rookie center Jericho Sims, making his first career start, was a live wire with three baskets around the rim early as the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the first half.
Rookie point guard Miles McBride pumped in two 3-pointers and played a heady game in moving the ball crisply. And RJ Barrett had an efficient night of 30 points on 10 of 19 shooting.
Fournier, who finished with 12 points, all on 3’s, needed three 3-pointers to tie Starks and aced it late in the first half. With the Hornets reducing the Knicks 19-point lead to six in the third, Fournier’s record-setting basket came from the left wing and put the Knicks up nine points with 1:38 left.
The Knicks clinched a losing season Tuesday in the Hawks’ loss but their bounce-back win moved them to 31-42 with nine games left. They are 5 ½ games behind the Hawks.
Toppin was active and productive. In the opening minute he took a long feed for a fastbreak dunk and make his first four shots, including a 3-pointer.
The Knicks led 40-24 after one with starting center Sims springing loose for three buckets around the rim. Taj Gibson, who has improved his 3-point shooting, came off the bench and drilled two straight 3-pointers and the Knicks were up 19 points early in the second quarter.
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