Starting point guard Jalen Brunson missed his second straight game for the Knicks on Tuesday night with a sore left foot, but Emmanuel Quickley couldn’t post another stellar performance.
Quickley, who played 55 minutes and scored 38 points in Sunday’s double-overtime win in Boston, scored just 14 points on 5-16 shooting in Tuesday’s streak-busting 112-105 loss to the Hornets at the Garden.
“Obviously we had a double overtime game but I have to play better than that,” Quickley said. “But we’ll learn from it, I know I will. Watch the film, see how we get better and move on to the next game against it [Sacramento on Thursday].
“I’m fine. No excuses. Just got to find ways to win games. We did it in Boston. So we’ve got to do it every night we can.”
Tom Thibodeau said Brunson was “very good today” but was “not ready yet” to return to the lineup. He added that Brunson is expected to accompany the Knicks on their four-game trip out West.
Asked if the $104 million point guard would be able to play if Tuesday’s game was a playoff contest, Thibodeau replied, “I leave it up to the medical staff and the player. For me, I know he will play if He can play and if the medical people and he feels he needs another day, we give him the day. We love our depth. The next guy, go out there and get it done.”
Obi Toppin hit a key 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, but he finished 1-for-4 from long range and is stuck on 7-of-39 shooting from beyond the arc in his past 13 appearances.
“Just, if you’re open, shoot it,” Thibodeau said. “I think he had a great drive on a closeout in the Boston game. So just read the game, the game will tell you what to do.
“I think we’re shooting a pretty good percentage from three of the last 10. I think everyone shares in this responsibility, not necessarily one person.
LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Cody Martin (knee) are out for the Hornets.
