On Wednesday, the New York Knicks were in complete control for half the game in their NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Atlanta Hawks.
But Atlanta stormed back with a third-quarter burst en route to a 108-100 victory to advance to a semifinal against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Knicks opened a 28-22 lead after one quarter of play, which they expanded to 54-47 at halftime. The lead increased to 62-52 early in the third quarter. But the Hawks looked like a different team for most of the second half, taking their first lead of the game at 68-66 on a Trae Young catch-and-shoot 3.
The Knicks never led again. The Hawks outscored the Knicks 34–18 in the third quarter and fought back a Knicks run in the fourth quarter to silence a raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden.
Young scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter in a performance that mirrored his efforts in the 2021 playoffs in a first-round loss to the Knicks. He added 11 assists and five rebounds.
The Knicks closed a nine-point deficit to 93-87 midway through the fourth quarter. But the Hawks withstood the run and struck back to secure the eight-point victory. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Young threw fake dice at the Knicks logo, delivering a clear message. The Hawks are heading to Las Vegas. The Knicks don’t.
How the Hawks won
The Hawks controlled the ball after halftime with a dominant effort on the offensive glass. They finished the game with a 58-49 rebound margin, including 22 offensive rebounds.
This wasn’t a one-man show for Atlanta. Breakout fourth-year Jalen Johnson repeatedly made big plays on both ends of the court on his way to 21 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks.
De’Andre Hunter scored 24 points off the bench while making 4 of 5 shots from long range. Onyeka Okongwu double-doubled with 12 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks off the bench. It’s the kind of effort Atlanta is looking for from a young roster looking to work its way up the Eastern Conference pecking order.
It’s not the type of game the Hawks have consistently produced this season in a 14-12 start. But on Wednesday they took to a big stage in front of a hostile crowd in a play-off-like atmosphere. They have now won seven of their last eight games en route to the NBA Cup semifinals.
The Knicks got a balanced attack on offense, with all five starters scoring in double figures, led by 21 points from Josh Hart. But Jalen Brunson wrestled himself off the court with a 5-for-15 shooting effort that produced 14 points and eight assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points, a season-high 19 rebounds and three blocks. But he played much of the second half in foul trouble before making a mistake in the final minute of the match. No other Knicks player finished with double figures in rebounds, while the Hawks had three players with 11 or more.
The Hawks face the Bucks on Saturday in Las Vegas. The Knicks have been eliminated from the NBA Cup and will play the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
