Like peanut butter and jelly, Trae Young and the New York Knicks are a combination NBA fans simply can’t get enough of.
Last night, the stage was set at Madison Square Garden, where Knicks fans were eager for revenge against Young for his theatrics during the 2021 playoffs, which led to a first-round exit for New York.
But while the Hawks may look completely different than they did three years ago, one constant remains the same: Trae Young loves tormenting the Knicks, and he was at it again on Wednesday night.
This season, Young has shifted his focus away from scoring 40 points a game to orchestrating the offense and empowering his teammates. That approach was on full display as he finished with 22 points and 11 assists, completely dominating a third quarter in which the Hawks outscored the Knicks 34-18.
However, Wednesday night wasn’t just about Trae Young; it was about a Hawks team finding its identity. Jalen Johnson is emerging as one of the league’s brightest young stars, tallying 21 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. De’Andre Hunter is thriving in his role off the bench, contributing 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the center duo of Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela combined for 23 points and 24 rebounds, anchoring the paint.
Offensive cohesion was key, but what has truly driven the Hawks’ turnaround is their defense. Dyson Daniels has instilled a new mentality on that end of the court, and on Wednesday, he put Jalen Brunson in a straitjacket. The Knicks star point guard finished with just 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting, as Daniels continued his case for Defensive Player of the Year.
This was a statement victory for a young Hawks team that is finally healthy and building chemistry with each game. Atlanta now boasts the best record in the NBA since Thanksgiving and is 6-1 this season against the Celtics, Bucks, Knicks, and Cavaliers—the current top four seeds in the Eastern Conference. Right now, they’re being viewed as a fun, up-and-coming team with intriguing pieces, but if they keep playing like this, the conversation will inevitably shift to something far more serious.
With the eight-point win, the Hawks advance to Las Vegas for the semifinals of the NBA Cup, where they will face the Milwaukee Bucks—a team they defeated on the road by 15 points just a week ago. The winner will face the victor of the Thunder vs. Rockets matchup for the second-ever NBA Cup trophy.
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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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