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 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.