In a game that felt like a must-win for the New York Knicks, they avenged their NBA Cup loss and defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Monday 119-110 with one of their more inspiring efforts all season. New York improves to 28-16 on the season while Atlanta’s three-game winning streak ends and they now sit at 22-20.
Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges led the way for the Knicks
Dyson Daniels was no match for Jalen Brunson this time, as the Knicks captain was having his way against Daniels and the rest of the Hawks’ defense. Brunson scored 34 points on 12-for-18 shooting from the floor, and he dished six assists as well.
Brunson got his 68th 30-point game since joining the Knicks, which passed Willis Reed for the sixth-most 30-point games in franchise history. Over the past couple of weeks, Brunson has played like the superstar he blossomed into last season. He is averaging 33.3 points on 54% shooting from the floor and 43% from three over his last six games.
Bridges also put in a strong performance against Atlanta, cashing in 26 points on a hyper-efficient 12-for-17 clip from the floor. Bridges also showcased his tremendous defense, which was much-needed to slow down Trae Young and the Hawks.
The Knicks took advantage of the Hawks’ poor ball control
The Hawks were careless with the basketball, as they recorded 23 turnovers on the night, including nine from Young. The Knicks took advantage of those turnovers as they delivered 29 points off of Atlanta’s turnovers.
New York got out in transition and scored well on fastbreaks. Overall, they scored 18 fastbreak points compared to the Hawks’ 13, and they did a splendid job at turning their tight defense into efficient offense.
The Knicks’ bench provided a spark against the Hawks
The Knicks’ bench has been a glaring flaw this season, but lately, they have begun to energize the team and give the starters some extra rest. New York scored 24 bench points, including 10 from Cameron Payne in just 12 minutes.
Miles McBride also cashed in nine points in 20 minutes off the bench. He and Payne were both a team-high +15 on the night, and their energy on both ends of the floor created a spark for the Knicks.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau grew more trust in his bench guys for this one. On multiple occasions, he ran a lineup that included all four bench guys, and that lineup seemed to work well as the Knicks were able to go on multiple extended runs in those stretches.
Overview
The Knicks got themselves back in the win column in a big way, and their effort on both sides of the ball was one of their more impressive displays all season. New York faces the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday in the second leg of a back-to-back before having three straight days off, which will give the team some much-needed rest.