Couldn’t Hit the 3. Atlanta 108 NY 100

December 12, 2024 LouV 2024-25 0

The Knicks were in command of the game in the 1st half, but then missed 13 straight 3-point attempts in the 2nd half, which energized Atlanta’s defense, and allowed the Hawks to win 108-100 on a Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Trae Young pantomimed the rolling of dice on the Knick logo at center court as the game ended to rub it in, but he wasn’t the reason the Hawks won. They won with a tall, athletic team well coached by Quin Snyder, that played good Defense and beat the Knicks to the boards as well as the fact that NY kept missing open 3’s in the 2nd half.

It was an elimination game for the In-Season Tourney — Atlanta advanced to the tourney playoffs in Las Vegas; the Knicks are eliminated.

“Rebounding was a problem; probably the difference in the game,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “When it got to be 10 in the 3rd, we missed some 3’s, and we started giving them a 2nd and 3rd shot — that was a problem. Karl got in foul trouble; that shifted us his foul trouble made us different. The difference in the game is probably the hustle points. They shot 40 (percent); we shot 42, 43 (percent). But the 2nd and 3rd shot, that was a problem.”

“They’re a very good offensive rebounding team; you know that going in,” added Thibs. “I think we were plus 2 at the half. The 3rd quarter was a problem. They erased the deficit they had; and that went quickly. And our energy dipped. And it can’t dip. Missed shots are part of the game. You just have to keep fighting; you can win with your defense; your rebounding. We had a couple of turnovers that were a problem as well.”

NY drops to 15-10 on the season; Atlanta improves to 14-12.

1. Knicks Looked Good in 1st Half

The Knicks came out strong and were in command of the game — roaring out to an 11-2 lead, and leading 28-22 at the end of the 1st quarter.

Atlanta closed to within 3 points midway through the 2nd quarter after an inside drive by Onyeka Okongwu, but NY roared back to take an 11-point lead. The run started with a drive by KAT and perfect dish to Josh Hart coming down the lane. NY was called for a phantom Delay of Game warning, and then on the next play KAT got called for a ticky-tack foul inside against Okongwu.

But Ball Don’t Lie as Okongwu missed both free throws and Josh Hart followed with a drive-and-1.

Then hit a Brunson 3 and OG Anunoby stole the ball and went in for an open-court dunk and NY was up 45-34.

2. Refs Let ’em Play PHYSICAL

The call on Towns was confusing as the refs were Letting Them Play as per new NBA guidance to get a more physical game going. There was some HARD contact going on all night with no calls, and the players were getting testy with each other. The refs were on the verge of losing control at certain points in the 2nd and 3rd quarter.

Karl-Anthony Towns was PISSED at times, not getting calls, and then getting a couple of ticky-tack calls that got him in foul trouble. At one point he took it to the basket and SLAMMED it home to show the refs what he felt.

“I just looked at who was refereeing, and I knew what it would be like,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards, when asked if he got the sense that the refs were going to let a lot go in this game. Referee Jaclyn Goble was part of the crew that called a key, phantom foul in a Knicks-Rockets game last year; a call that the refs later admitted they blew.

Finally just before the half KAT got a call his way, and made 2 free throws with .2 seconds left — giving NY a 54-47 lead at the break.

3. NY Misses 13 Straight 3’s in 2nd Half

And then the 2nd half started and the Knicks just kept missing open 3’s. They would miss 13 in a row. That enlivened Atlanta’s defense, and allowed them to concentrate on the paint. Atlanta was also using their length and athleticism to beat NY to rebounds and loose balls.

4. Atlanta Long & Lean & Athletic & Coached by Snyder

Atlanta has surrounded Trae Young with athletic, long, defensive players.

  • They have 6’8 Jalen Johnson and 6’8 Zaccharie Risacher — the #1 pick in last June’s draft from France — at the starting forward slots.
  • They have the 6’8 De’Andre Hunter getting 28 minutes off the bench.
  • They start the 6’10 Clint Capella at center and have the 6’10 Okongwu coming off the bench. They have the 6’7 Dyson Daniels at the shooting guard slot.
  • They have the 6’5 Bogdan Bogdanovich getting 25 minutes off the bench.
  • Trae Young is the catalyst at the point — he had 11 assists in this game, with 22 pts (on 8-22 shooting, 2-8 from 3).

And they have Quin Snyder as their coach — one of the better coaches in the NBA.

But the Knicks still would have won this game if they didn’t miss 13 straight 3’s.

Mikal Bridges was 1-5 from 3 (although he had a good game otherwise, with 19 pts on 9-17 shooting. OG was 1-9 from 3. Brunson was 2-6 from 3 and stuck in mud all evening, trying to score against the 6’7 Dyson Daniels who Atlanta had on him, plus the Atlanta team defense that was loading up on his drives.

“Dyson Daniels plays with a purpose, plays hard and what he also does is defend hard the entire possession while relishing guarding opposing stars and making them earn everything,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “Also moves with a purpose whether beating u to the spot or getting easy looks with his slashing/cutting.”

The only Knick with the knack from 3 was Josh Hart — who went 3-5 from 3. He had 21 points on 8-12 shooting overall, with 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

5. Towns Called for Ticky Tack Fouls

Meanwhile KAT had a big man game — 19 pts and 19 rebounds in the game — and was playing Ferociously inside. But he picked up some ticky tack fouls and was off the court in the 4th from 10 minutes left (and NY down 10), when he picked up his 5th foul, to the 5-minutes left mark (with NY down by 8 pts).

That hurt NY’s chance at a comeback.

Dyson Daniels and De’Andre Hunter hit killer 3’s in the closing minutes to negate any chance of a Knick comeback.

Towns fouled out with 23 seconds left. And Atlanta dribbled the ball out for the old ballgame — Trae Young throwing dice on the Knicks logo at center court.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401734904

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