Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel described his matchup against Duke teammate Cooper Flagg as “fun,” acknowledging the competitiveness between them. “He’s really good. He’s the best player on the floor tonight and probably the best player I’ve faced all season,” Knueppel said.
Knueppel recounted the decisive defensive play that set up his clutch free throws. “Just trying to get it out of Coop’s hands at the end. I came in, got a hand on it, dove forward, and then threw it back in the court toward me. Then I got fouled and hit two free throws. Just a crazy ending to a phenomenal game,” he said.
On his hot shooting night, Knueppel credited his confidence after struggling in recent games. “It’s been a little dry spell past couple games. It was good to have a night where I was feeling really good and seeing the ball go through the net,” he said, highlighting his eight 3-pointers.
Knueppel downplayed the rookie of the year conversation despite both he and Flagg being top contenders. “We both like to win, but we don’t talk about it. He probably jumps me with 49 and 10. Whoever gets it, I’ll be happy for him,” he said.
Reflecting on Flagg’s historic performance, Knueppel said one word described the game: “In control. At the end of the game, he turns it over, but he knows how to handle the last shot. He’s never too fast and plays at his pace, just a heck of a game.”
Knueppel also acknowledged the broader team momentum. “We just got a spirit about us right now. Beating OKC on the road gave us confidence. We’re a good basketball team and we’re starting to really believe that about ourselves,” he said, emphasizing Charlotte’s five-game winning streak.
The Hornets now sit at 21-28, having swept a road back-to-back and recorded their fifth straight win, while the Mavericks fell to 19-29 after Cooper Flagg’s 49-point effort. Knueppel’s performance capped the victory with 34 points on 16 shots and two critical free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining, ending Dallas’ hopes of overtime.
Charlotte will host San Antonio on Saturday, aiming to continue its winning streak, while Dallas travels to Houston.
