Knicks have more starters in preseason finale as tough trend continues

The final dress rehearsal looked a lot like the Knicks’ final exhibition game.

Three projected starters – Mitchell Robinson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby – were out, along with Josh Hart. So that meant the Knicks finished the preseason without being at full strength in any of their five games.

According to coach Mike Brown, the Knicks simply rested Robinson while Towns (quad), Anunoby (ankle) and Hart (back) battled minor injuries all day.

“Mitch is out, load management, and then we’re being a little cautious with the other three guys,” Brown said after the Knicks defeated the Hornets 113-98 with 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists from Jalen Brunson.

Obviously, it’s not a positive thing that the Knicks enter the regular season with a few players dealing with injuries, especially since they have a new coach and are learning a different system.

“We weren’t going to have a final product at the end of the preseason anyway,” Brunson said. “We’re going to keep getting better. We’re going to hopefully have a long season.”

There were positives from the evening as the Knicks finished the preseason at 4-1. Brunson logged 34 minutes and Mikal Bridges had 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet combined for seven 3-pointers and 26 points off the bench.

“Don’t tell the players you said that. There was a part of me that hoped the game was a little close,” Brown said. “If it had been a blowout, if we got kicked in the butt or if we kicked their butt, I would have been in a dilemma. I wanted Jalen and Mikal to play 34 minutes no matter what. So it was a good enough game on our part and on Charlotte’s part to make it happen.”

The Knicks have until Saturday at 5 p.m. to get to fourteen players. They have to make six cuts. The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported that the Knicks have informed Garrison Mathews that they plan to waive him and retain Shamet for the final roster spot. Mathews did not play Friday night.

“I went in because I wanted to play with 10 guys, to watch 10 guys,” Brown said. “I made a note sheet and I wanted to try to play against the guys I wanted to watch.”