NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Jalen Brunson scored 27 points, hitting the go-ahead basket in overtime, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 134-131 on Wednesday night.
Brunson also had 13 assists and seven rebounds. RJ Barrett scored 22 points, and Julius Randle had 17 for New York, at 3-1 off to its best start in 10 years.
Gordon Hayward led Charlotte with 21 points. PJ Washington, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jalen McDaniels each had 17.
Brunson鈥檚 3-pointer with 3:14 left in overtime gave the Knicks the lead for good 鈥� at 124-122.
"We kept fighting,鈥� Brunson said. 鈥淲e found a way to win this game. We stayed poised and kept finding plays to make at the end of the game.鈥�
The Hornets pulled to 132-131 on Washington鈥檚 long jumper with five seconds left, and Barrett hit two free throws with three seconds remaining for the final margin.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a primary scorer, you want to be able to step to the line and hit those two free throws in that situation,鈥� Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. 鈥淗e shot them with a lot of confidence.鈥�
The Knicks led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, with Randle鈥檚 layup at 2:56 putting New York ahead 91-79.
The Hornets took a five-point lead, 120-115, with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
鈥淲e had the lead there late in the fourth,鈥� Hayward said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 defend the way we should have, could have. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 disappointing. They hit shots down the stretch and we didn鈥檛.鈥�
TIP-INS:
Hornets: Terry Rozier, Charlotte鈥檚 leading scorer, missed his second straight game because of a right ankle sprain.
Knicks: New York exercised its four-year team options on Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin, and its third-year team option on Quentin Grimes. Grimes has yet to see action this season due to a left foot injury.
IT鈥橲 BEEN A WHILE
The Knicks have won their first three home games this season. New York had not won two straight to begin a campaign since the 2012-13 campaign. That season, they reeled off victories in their first 10 home contests.
UP NEXT
Hornets: At Orlando on Friday night.
Knicks: At Milwaukee on Friday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Jeffrey Bernstein, The Associated Press
