Jalen Brunson had 31 points and made two clutch free throws with 8.6 seconds left, and the New York Knicks held on to beat the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets 99-98 to improve to 3-0 in NBA Cup play.

The Knicks should’ve had a great deal on Black Friday. Instead, they paid full retail price for a 99-98 victory over the Hornets.

The struggles for Mikal Bridges have gotten to the point that New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau kept him on the bench for the final eight minutes

Made the right decision,” said Bridges, who went to the bench with 8:25 to play and only got a couple of defensive possessions in the final seconds of the Knicks' 99-98 win. “Go out there and win the game.

The Knicks should’ve had a great deal on Black Friday against a battered, bottom-dwelling opponent. Instead, they paid full retail price for a 99-98 victory, a performance that required a fourth-quarter comeback as the team’s top disappointment Mikal Bridges watched most of it from the bench.

The New York Knicks made a bold move when they traded for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets this offseason for a heap of future first-round draft picks. Bridges was seen as a savior for the Knicks and as someone who could finally get them over the hump.