Knicks rest starters in loss to Hornets in regular-season finale

Q: Why did the Knicks rest their starters against the Hornets?

The Knicks had already clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, making the game meaningless for their standings.

Q: Who were the inactive players for the Knicks in their final game?

The inactive players included Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges.

Q: What was the final score of the Knicks vs. Hornets game?

The final score was 110-96 in favor of the Hornets.

Q: Who led the Knicks in scoring during their loss to the Hornets?

Miles 'Deuce' McBride led the Knicks with 21 points in the game.

The Knicks’ inactive list for Sunday night’s regular-season finale against the Charlotte Hornets featured four starters and two key rotation players.

Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby were among those who sat out. Mikal Bridges joined them on the bench 23 seconds into the first quarter after extending his NBA-long consecutive-games streak to 638.

That was the Knicks’ (53-29) reward for having already clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, making Sunday’s outcome meaningless to them in the standings.

But there was still a game to play at Madison Square Garden, and while Miles “Deuce” McBride flashed in a featured role, the Knicks’ makeshift lineup didn’t have enough firepower in a 110-96 loss to the full-strength Hornets.

McBride led the Knicks with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, headlining a starting five that also included Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara, Ariel Hukporti and – for exactly one offensive possession – Bridges.

Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan, Trey Jemison III, Kevin McCullar Jr., Pacome Dadiet and Dillon Jones were among the Knicks who played real minutes Sunday.

Charlotte (44-38), meanwhile, deployed its full rotation, needing a win for seeding purposes in this week’s NBA Play-In Tournament.

Still, McBride got the Knicks out to an early lead, scoring 10 quick points to help them go up 16-15 in the first quarter. McBride added eight more points in the second, including a transition dunk that electrified the crowd on Fan Appreciation Day.

It was an encouraging showing, considering McBride missed two months due to hernia surgery before returning late last month. Sunday’s loss was McBride’s sixth game back, and he hadn’t eclipsed six points in any of the previous five.

But the Hornets caught fire from 3-point range, starting the game 8-of-20 from deep as they built a double-digit lead in the second quarter.

A pair of 3-pointers by LaMelo Ball in the final two minutes of the first half helped give Charlotte a 57-44 lead at the break.

The Knicks cut their deficit to 69-61 midway through the third quarter, but Brandon Miller answered with a three-point play on the other end, and Charlotte took a 14-point lead into the fourth.

Charlotte finished 19-of-52 on 3-pointers. Ball, Miller and Coby White scored 19 points apiece for the Hornets.

Alvarado scored 16 points for the Knicks, while McCullar added 14 on 6-of-11 shooting off the bench.

Even with the loss, the Knicks finished with their most wins in a season since 2012-13, when they went 54-28.

Of course, this year was never about the regular season for the Knicks. Not after they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, nor after they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau in the offseason and replaced him with Mike Brown to help them take the next step.

This season will ultimately be judged by what they accomplish in the postseason.

“Going into the playoffs, we feel pretty good where we are offensively and defensively as a group. We feel connected,” Brown said before Sunday’s game.

“I feel like everybody on the team has sacrificed in one way, shape or form. You need that from your group in order to have some success. Our guys compete, and like I said, at this point in the season, I feel like the guys really believe, not just in what we’re trying to do, but in each other.”