Charlotte Hornets: Game preview and things to watch against Knicks

After three impressive wins in a row, the Charlotte hornets look to win their fourth straight over the New York Knicks.

The Charlotte Hornets are on a role, as they have won three consecutive games. The Hornets will seek to win their fourth straight against the New York Knicks at home on Monday night.

Charlotte is coming off two of their biggest wins of the season, and they will be looking for their success to carry over into this game. The Hornets defeated the Knicks every time they played last season.

This Knicks team is currently ranked in the top-8 in the Eastern Conference, so the Hornets will have a lot to handle. If Charlotte wins, then they will continue to rise in the conference rankings.

LaMelo Ball is also coming off his first career triple-double, and it seems that he only continues to get better with every passing game. Could fans be poised to see another career game by the rookie?

Charlotte Hornets vs. New York Knicks
7:00 p.m. EST, Monday, January 11th, 2021
Spectrum Center
Fox Sports Southeast

Stream: Fubo.tv

Injury Report:

CHA:

Cody Zeller – Hand (Out)

NYK:

Kevin Knox II – Knee (Questionable)

Obi Toppin – Calf (Questionable)

Frank Ntilikina – Knee (Questionable

Taj Gibson – COVID-19 (Questionable)

Things to watch:

The Hornets are riding their first three-game winning stream of the season. The Hornets also have some players who are coming off of a few great consecutive games. Watch to see if the Hornets can continue their success and maintain good composure.

Ball is coming off one of the best games of his rookie season. He’s averaged 17 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds per game in his last two outings. Look for Ball to see another 30+ minute game off the bench.

The Knicks are also coming off a game on Sunday night, so they should be tired once they arrive in Charlotte. The Hornets should take advantage of any fatigue the Knicks are dealing with.

Keys to the game:

The Knicks are the 7th best rebounding team in the league, averaging 47.1 rebounds per game. Winning the rebound battle is essential, as the Knicks will take advantage of fast-break scoring and second-chance points.

The Knicks are the 28th worst-ranked team in scoring, so the Hornets need to also contiune to pressure them on offense. The Hornets have played great defense against two great offenses as of late, and it needs to contiune against New York.

The final key is to let Ball do his thing. The Hornets have not lost a game yet where Ball has gotten or been super close to a triple-double. Ball saw 31 minutes on the court last game, so the Hornets should look to extend his role on Monday night.