Knicks 149, Hawks 148 (OT): “Couple weeks till TJ Warren”

Towns records a second straight 40+ point game, Brunson scores 36, Hart records another double-double, and Achiuwa logs a season-high as the Knicks fight off F. Trae Young and the Hawks.

The New York Knicks (36-18) hammered the Pacers last night, then flew back to Madison Square Garden to host the Atlanta Hawks (26-29) tonight. Tired? Probably. Showing surprising vigor, our heroes dominated early with strong inside play, taking a 38-29 lead behind Jalen Brunson’s 16 first-quarter points. In the second, it was Karl-Anthony Towns’ turn to burn the Hawks, and the Knicks entered halftime ahead 68-60. Short-handed yet again, the Knicks lost steam in the third, escaping with a 104-101 lead. Cameron Payne provided relief to start the fourth, but when the starters returned, the Hawks caught up, and this puppy went to overtime, tied at 137. In extra time, Captain Brunson carried the team with multiple clutch buckets, including the game-winner. Final score, 149-148.

That’s the most combined points in an NBA game this season.

For the Knicks, Towns played 47 minutes and finished with a 44-point, 10-rebound double-double, recording back-to-back 40+ games for the first time in his career. He blistered from deep, hitting 7-of-10. Brunson finished with 36 points and eight assists in his 43 minutes, Josh Hart recorded an 18-10 double-double, and Precious Achiuwa logged a season-high 26 points (plus eight boards, two blocks, 42 minutes). In 48 minutes, Mikal Bridges attempted only eight field goals, finishing with 11 points, but his defense was key to winning in overtime.

Without OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks started this second-of-a-back-to-back short-handed. Then they ruled out Miles McBride with a rib contusion. The starters were running on fumes in the second half, which allowed Atlanta to claw back from an 18-point deficit. Quoth @back: “Couple weeks til TJ Warren.” Amen to that. They could have used TJ tonight! And OG. And Mitch. And Deuce.

For the Hawks, F. Trae Young finished with 38 points and 19 assists, Dyson Daniels scored 23 and four steals, and Onyeka Okongwu logged 21 points, 14 boards, three blocks, and two steals.

First Half

The Knicks distributed the ball effectively, with all starters scoring to mount a 20-16 advantage by midway through the quarter. Most of their damage was inflicted inside the arc, and they made just 2-of-5 from long range (both from Jalen Brunson).

Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels hails from Australia, but Josh Hart was the real Tasmanian Devil. Josh disrupted passing lanes, scarfed up rebounds, and refused to surrender the ball without a fight. Like so:

Daniels has shot 33% from deep this season. Tonight, he made two of his first three attempts. Go figure. Meanwhile, F. Trae missed two easy bunnies—we all shared a hearty laugh—and Jalen Brunson, who scored eight points yesterday, racked up 16 in Q1, helping the Knicks to a 38-29 lead by the buzzer.

Late in the quarter, New York’s rookie Ariel Hukporti was cooked twice by Dominick Barlow and then fouled a flopping Young. As a result, Thibs yanked him the next chance he got, and Huk remained in the doghouse for the rest of the game.

Meanwhile:

In the second quarter, Towns rained hellfire on the Clint Capela-less Birds, in a repeat of his dominance in Indiana last night. By halftime, Towns had scored 24 points to lead the team. During a break in the action, Mrs. Russell chimed in, “That man looks tired.” Yeah, you might pant, too, after scoring 40 against the Pacers, catching a red eye back to NYC, and then kicking the snot out of the Hawks the next night. Who called this guy soft?

Off the bench, Landry Shamet kept the defensive effort going. He glued himself to Trae Young and forced the future face of Rogaine into frustrated passes and an airball. Young, who went from All-Star snub to All-Star sub this week, scratched out just seven points in the half.

New York stretched their lead to 18 points. A 12-2 Atlanta run evened things out, and the Knicks entered intermission ahead, 68-60. The Hawks had outrebounded the Knicks by nine, but the home team had shot better from the field (57% to 41%) and from deep (39% to 25%). Behind KAT’s 24, Brunson had scored 20 points; for the Birds, Dyson Daniels led the way with 18 points.

A 10-point, five-board first-half from Precious Achiuwa, btw. Mikal Bridges in the half: four points.

Second Half

Coming out of halftime, the Hawks clipped the difference to four points. Eight straight by the Knicks, including two And-1’s from Towns, righted the ship. Drilling a triple, Karl eclipsed 36 points with eight minutes left in the quarter. When Atlanta cut their deficit to six, he responded with another trey. The Hawks kept swinging, but, so far, the Knicks kept swinging back.

New York’s bench suffered another setback when, in the third, Miles McBride was removed from the contest with a left rib contusion. As the Knicks’ starters began to drag their sneakers, the Hawks subbed players on and off and tightened the score to 104-101 by the quarter’s end.

To keep this game from slipping away, New York needed a jolt in the fourth. Enter Cameron Payne! Having only played for five minutes thus far, the effervescent vet scored seven of the Knicks’ nine unanswered points to start the quarter. And Jalen’s not the only point guard who can draw a charge:

Towns remained on the floor while Hukporti watched from the bench. Mikal Bridges showed some much-appreciated, late-game signs of life with a timely bucket and rebound, while Hart kept chugging away, a testament to the nutritional fuel of Mike & Ike’s.

With four tired starters plus Payne on the floor for New York, Young caught fire. He hit two threes and connected with Georges Niang for an assist. What was a 12-point lead early in the frame slipped to just one with three minutes remaining. Niang and Caris LeVert, the newest Hawks, combined for 41 points off the bench; New York’s second unit scored 14.

In need of a hero, the captain donned his cape. With the shot clock expiring, Brunson coolly swished a 27-foot triple. Young hit two free throws, and Jalen added a floater. Young scored on a driving layup, and Precious cashed in a Brunson miss.

The game was in the bag, 137-131 . . . when Niang hit a three with nine seconds left. Then Daniels stole KAT’s inbound pass, got fouled, and missed his second free throw. In the resulting scrum, Hart fouled Young with two seconds left. Young swished both. Somehow the game was tied at 137. Brunson missed from the corner. We had bonus basketball.

The Hawks never led during regulation but scored five straight in overtime for an ominous start. Brunson and Towns combined for six unanswered, however, and New York was alive again. In a wild fifth frame, New York clung to a one-point lead with 24 seconds left and Okongwu at the free-throw line. He hit both, and here came Brunson again, drilling a 19-foot jumper with 11 seconds to go. Young missed on a drive that was well-defended by Bridges, and Niang missed a wide-open corner shot at the bell.

What a way to wrap up the first half of the season.

Up Next

It’s the All-Star Break! Have fun this weekend, Jalen and Karl. Rest up the rest of you Knickerbockers.

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