Kon

Knueppel

Before Friday, Knueppel went nearly three weeks without consecutive 20-point games. He and the other Hornets did much of what they wanted to offensively, shooting 24-of-49 from beyond the arc. Knueppel was responsible for three made threes, moving to 7-of-16 over his last two games. It’s safe to say that he’s snapped out of the two-game mini-slump in which he shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc.

After shooting a combined 4-of-19 from beyond the arc in his previous three games, Knueppel had a better night against the Suns. In addition to making four of his nine three-point attempts, the rookie wing is up to 35 games with at least 20 points. At a minimum, Knueppel is one of the favorites for Rookie of the Year, along with college teammate Cooper Flagg. And given his role in the Hornets’ success, it would be unsurprising if many voters viewed Knueppel as the clear leader going into the final week of the regular season.

Knueppel and the Hornets have won their last five games, all by double digits. The Rookie of the Year candidate shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc against the Knicks and finished two assists shy of his first career triple-double. Knueppel’s production throughout the season has been a great development for fantasy managers and the Hornets, both for this season and the future. The Hornets end their week on Sunday against the Celtics.

Knueppel was initially listed as probable, and he has now officially been cleared to suit up. He was limited to just nine points in Saturday’s win over the Grizzlies, and he’ll look to get back on track in this one.

While included on the Hornets’ injury report due to a sore lower back, Knueppel’s probable tag suggests that he’ll ultimately play. If he doesn’t play, Coby White and Josh Green are likely to absorb the minutes that would normally go to the Rookie of the Year candidate.

Knueppel has scored 20 points or more in four of his last six appearances, including a solid effort against the Spurs on Saturday. Since the All-Star break, the rookie guard has been close to a top-50 player in eight-cat formats. The Hornets play three games in Week 21, starting with the Heat on Tuesday.

Having shot 9-of-20 from the field in his prior two games, Knueppel cleaned up his shooting in Wednesday’s victory. The rookie knocked down five of his eight three-point attempts and was perfect at the foul line. Since the All-Star break, Knueppel has averaged nearly 21 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field. He’s been right there with Cooper Flagg in the race for Rookie of the Year, and some would argue that Knueppel should be the favorite.

One game removed from dropping 27 points in a loss to the Heat, Knueppel was limited to 15 on Sunday. One subpar performance doesn’t erase the overall body of work, and the rookie remains one of the best first-year players in fantasy basketball. Knueppel will look to rebound when the Hornets visit the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the first of three games they’ll play in Week 20.

Knueppel and the Hornets saw their winning streak snapped at the hands of the Heat on Friday 128-120. The 20-year-old shooting guard still had an excellent game, leading Charlotte with 27 points. Knueppel was 9-of-14 from the field and went 6-of-10 from behind the three-point line. He’s provided fourth-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Hornets close out Week 19 against the Suns on Sunday.

Having totaled 23 points on 10-of-25 shooting in his prior two games, Knueppel got back to his usual business on Wednesday. He led four Hornets in double figures with 20 points, shooting 50 percent from the field overall and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Knueppel and the Hornets play twice more in Week 19, starting with the Heat on Friday as they continue their climb up the Eastern Conference standings.