CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Knicks made easy work of an easy opponent in their first game without Julius Randle.
Villanova’s duo of Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo combined for 60 points against the woeful Hornets despite Randle and OG Anunoby being out with injuries.
The 113-92 victory completed the season sweep of Charlotte and extended New York’s winning streak to a league-high seven games.
The Hornets (10-35), who had lost four straight, held out until halftime while the Knicks (30-17) adjusted to being without their two regular forwards.
And the Hornets lived up to their reputation by folding, not long after head coach Steve Clifford admitted before the game that they were “not playing a meaningful game.”
Brunson dropped 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting in 34 minutes. DiVincenzo played 42 minutes and scored 28 points on 22 shots (15 3-pointers), benefiting from a plethora of green lights and making up for Randle’s absence.
The Knicks led by just three points at intermission and held a double-digit lead for the final 18 minutes.
It was a win against a bad team for the Knicks (they are currently 20-0 against teams below .500) and another sad night for the Hornets.
Clifford is a veteran and capable coach who bridges the transition in ownership, but is trying to make up for a lost season.
When asked about LaMelo Ball missing Monday with a sore ankle, Clifford bluntly replied, “He’s not playing any meaningful games.”
Clifford quickly stopped himself — “They make sense and we want to win and all that,” he added — but given the context of the series, this is a difficult statement to overlook.
Spectrum Center was empty Monday, and most of the fans in attendance were wearing Knicks apparel.
In the fourth quarter, when the visitors led by 29 points, chants of “Let’s go nicks” erupted.
Clifford, dissatisfied with the decision that followed, was immediately sent off for assaulting the referee.
Life without Randle would be easy if the Knicks played against the Hornets all the time.
The bigger challenges will be the next home games against the Jazz (Tuesday), Pacers (Thursday) and Lakers (Saturday).
The Knicks’ first appearance without Randle came against Charlotte. Randle’s recovery timeline from a dislocated shoulder remains up in the air despite positive signs that he will avoid season-ending surgery.
Anunoby also suffered inflammation in his right elbow late in the game, so the Knicks started Josh Hart and Precious Achiuwa at the forward positions.
Hart played 39 minutes and had 12 rebounds and seven assists. Achiuwa added nine points in 32 minutes. The Knicks bench, led by Myles McBride (11 points), outscored Charlotte’s bench 26-7.
