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Knicks, Hornets try to crack win column

Dec 5, 2014 - 2:35 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Something's got to give on Friday night when two teams with long losing streaks, the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets, meet at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Knicks have dropped six straight and Charlotte's woes have reached 10 consecutive games.

New York fell to LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, 90-87, at Madison Square Garden. The Cavs avenged an opening- night loss to the Knicks with the win.

The Knicks led through much of the second half, but James scored five in a row to give Cleveland the lead. Irving hit a tough lefty layup for a three-point lead.

The Knicks went to a Carmelo Anthony isolation on the game's final possession. Anthony shook James and shot a 3-pointer from the right wing, but it was just off the mark. Iman Shumpert tipped the rebound out to Jose Calderon, who hit a 3-pointer a full second after the final buzzer.

"It's tough, but that's what we're pros for," said guard Tim Hardaway, Jr. "We just have to continue to keep fighting, keep grinding. All we can do is go up."

Hardaway paced the Knicks with 20 points off the bench. Amare Stoudemire had 18 and Quincy Acy scored a career-high 15 in New York's third straight home setback.

Anthony shot just 4-for-19 for nine points.

The Knicks return home on Sunday then hit the road for three more.

The Hornets haven't tasted victory since a road win in Phoenix on Nov. 14. Their last home win came against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 7, a span of six games.

On Wednesday, Charlotte fell at home to the Chicago Bulls, 102-95, and that game came just one night after the Bulls went two overtimes in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Charlotte received 23 points from Kemba Walker and 20 out of Lance Stephenson, but was badly outshot by the Bulls from the perimeter. The Hornets hit just 2- of-15 attempts from 3-point range, compared to a 12-of-28 mark for Chicago.

"The obvious difference in this game was 3-point shooting," said Hornets head coach Steve Clifford. "We played hard, we did some good things, but we didn't do enough to win."

Al Jefferson had 13 points in the defeat while Cody Zeller managed 12. Gerald Henderson completed the double-digit scorers for the Hornets with 10 points.

Forward Marvin Williams returned for the Hornets after missing two straight games with a strained shoulder. He came off the bench and scored six points in 24:44.

Gary Neal is questionable with a left shoulder sprain.

Charlotte's last 10-game losing streak came from Feb. 20-March 9, 2013. Earlier that season, the Hornets lost 18 in a row.

The Knicks bested the Hornets by three in MSG on Nov. 2. New York has lost two of its last three in Charlotte, but has won four of its past six on the road in this series.