
It was an Amazing day.
Earlier in the day, at noontime, amidst excitement and energy and hope that could be felt across the country — Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. He gave an Amazing, direct, decisive speech with plans for a golden age of freedom, world-wide peace, and accomplishment for people of all races and religions in the country.
Amazingly, it was also Martin Luther King day. In 1966, 20-year-old Donald Trump helped create the “Martin Luther King Jr. International Freedom Games.” And the day before the Inauguration, he promised he will unveil the secret files on exactly who assassinated MLK. MLK’s family, including his niece Alveda King are ardent supporters of Trump.
To cap it all off, after the inauguration and the post-inauguration speeches had ended, there was a 3pm afternoon Knick game at Madison Square Garden, as always.
And the Knicks laid down a tough defense and outscored the Hawks by 17 points in the 2nd half for a 119-110 win.
NY was down by 8 at the half but scored the first 7 points of the 3rd quarter to take control. The last time the teams played, a month ago, Atlanta beat NY at MSG and as the game ended, Trae Young pantomimed the roll of dice on the Knicks logo at center court. The Knicks made sure that did not happen again.
“The 3rd quarter was a 40-point quarter for us, and I think that was important” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “The overall activity was really good; we had a number of deflections — and when we’re active like that, good things will come from it.”
“I actually think we played a pretty good 1st half,” continued Thibs. “But I didn’t like the way we closed the 2nd quarter. The hard part was — I thought we had a number of calls that didn’t go our way, and so sometimes frustration can creep in, but you just have to play through that. Once we got past that and just played, I thought we were good.”
NY improves to 28-16; Atlanta falls to 22-20.
1. Atlanta = Athletic & Long & Well Coached by Quin Snyder
The two teams played a Physical first half and ballgame — as noted by Walt Frazier and Mike Breen who were broadcasting on the sidelines. Sometimes you don’t see that as clearly watching the game on TV vs being there in person — and both Clyde and Breen said it was one of the most physical defensive games the Knicks have played all year, echoed on the post game by Monica McNutt on the radio.
Atlanta is well coached by Quin Snyder — it is still unfathomable that Utah fired him. Snyder is also very fashionable and was wearing a pair of red glasses for the game.
The Hawks are building a team that reflects Quin Snyder and his system — long and athletic and defensive minded. They have 6’9 Jalen Johnson up front averaging 19.4 pts and 10.3 rebounds. Johnson was the #20 overall pick in the draft for Atlanta in 2021. At his side is 6’10 Onyeka Okongwu, who Atlanta picked with the #6 overall pick in 2020. Okongwu has come on this season and is averaging 11.5 pts and 7.6 rebounds.
In the backcourt Atlanta has 6’7 Dyson Daniels, averaging 13.2 ppg and leading the NBA in steals. And of course there is Trae Young, leading the NBA in assists.
The Hawks were without 6’8 Zaccharie Risacher, the #1 overall pick in last June’s draft who is out day-to-day with a thigh bruise, and instead started the 6’8 Vit Krejci at small forward. And then of course the 6’8 De’Andre Hunter comes off the bench, averaging 19.4 ppg, as does Clint Capella and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Atlanta is stacked. And they play Quin Snyder ball. They are a handful.
2. Brunson & Bench Ignite NY Late in 1st
And the Hawks pulled out to an 18-8 lead, and led 20-12 with 4 minutes left in the 1st; it was not looking so great for NY which had already lost both meetings against Atlanta this year (including the Trae Young dice roll game).
But that’s when Jalen Brunson got steadfast, hitting back-to-back 3’s to pull NY within 23-18. Then Miles McBride, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet came off the bench to ignite NY — McBride and Payne hit 3’s and Shamet a drive late in the quarter to pull NY to within 27-26 after 1.
3. Atlanta Gets Benefit of Calls in Physical 1st Half
A McBride drive to start the 2nd quarter gave NY the lead, and a Mikal Bridges jumper on the next possession made it a 3-pt lead.
Mikal Bridges was guarding Trae Young, and giving him a hard time. The two were chirping at each other all night. Bridges missed his first 4 shots of the game but then, with Young defending him, went 12-13 to finish 12-17 for 26 pts.
Bridges and Brunson and Cam Payne were doing most of the Knick scoring in the 2nd quarter as NY took a 5-pt lead — but Atlanta came right back — helped by lots of calls by the refs.
Knick Twitter (x) was howling as Atlanta kept getting calls. Near the end of the 1st half, Atlanta was 13-17 from the free throw line, while the Knicks were 0-2 (Brunson missed 2 free throws).
Atlanta scored a flurry of points in the final minute of the half — a 3 by Trae Young, a dunk by Jalen Johnson, and a jumper by Onyeka Okongwu as the buzzer sounded — to take an 8-pt lead.
4. Bridges Takes Advantage of Trae in 3rd
But NY came out of the half with the same intensity, but directed energy. Josh Hart started the quarter with a floater, and then NY got the ball to Mikal Bridges over and over again, and he, guarded by the much smaller Trae Young — scored over and over again inside.
mikal started the second half on a HEATER 😮💨
Vote Knicks #NBAAllStar ⭐️ https://t.co/ZaYEPRZwLl pic.twitter.com/pxsDY5Xdwg
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2025
5. Hart Relentless
And Josh Hart was Josh Hart — relentless. With 4:22 left in the quarter, Hart stole the ball from Dyson Daniels, went full court and passed to McBride who missed the layup under pressure, but Hart got the offensive rebound, missed the tip shot, but then ripped the ball away from Clint Capela and scored. NY 82 Atlanta 77.
.@joshhart is RELENTLESS 😤
Vote Knicks #NBAAllStar ⭐️ https://t.co/ZaYEPRZwLl pic.twitter.com/eD6kXGHm6x
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2025
“Tweeted this below a number of years ago on Josh Hart,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “Watch how many ways he impacts the game all while playing his role. Josh fills a stat sheet daily but never seek stats, he seeks every rebound, all 50/50 balls, finds the open man, creates his own opportunities and never cheats u.”
6. Brunson Takes It to Daniels
Josh Hart was making Big plays, and Jalen Brunson was taking it to the 6’7 Dyson Daniels (the league leader in steals). Brunson would finish with 34 pts on 12-18 shooting (3-5 from 3).
cap had himself a GAME, see for yourself 👇
Vote Jalen #NBAAllStar Starter ⭐️https://t.co/kmdZm9i2ia pic.twitter.com/j2bJDdaLmg
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2025
A Hart drive, Brunson step-back jumper, McBride pullup, Hart drive, and Brunson step back gave NY a 91-83 lead with 1:44 left in the 3rd.
7. Knicks Up by 5 Entering 4th
NY entered the 4th up by 5 pts, but Atlanta came right back on a deuce and a 3 by De’Andre Hunter to tie the game at 94-94 with 10:53 left.
But the Knicks raged back — Precious Achiuwa with a dunk off a KAT assist, and McBride with a pullup for a 99-94 Knick lead. OG Anunoby played a game-high 41 minutes of tough defense and 9 rebounds.
8. Towns with Huge Defensive Play on Trae
Karl-Anthony Towns then made the defensive play of the game — switching to cover Trae Young on the left side near the 3-pt line — Young tried dancing around KAT twice but KAT held his ground staying in front of Young, not going for the fakes — as Young was forced to throw the ball up at the 24-second buzzer and catch it himself for the turnover.
“Shaking, no baking”
Trae Young tries for the call pic.twitter.com/Jx9f6ujD0R
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 20, 2025
Then Cameron Payne hit a 3 and was fouled by Trae Young for a 4-pt play and 102-94 Knick lead with 8:39 left.
CAM PAYNE 4-POINT PLAY! pic.twitter.com/idoLZgsV8p
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2025
Towns — just back after missing a game with the sprained thumb — had a bad shooting night (5-18 and 1-6 from 3 for 13 pts). But with 5:52 left he (finally) hit a Huge 3 to put NY up 110-100.
Down the stretch is was more Knick Defense and scoring by Mikal Bridges, and in the last minute, Atlanta still down 10, was forced to foul. Brunson and KAT made free throws. NY would finish 16-21 from the line vs Atlanta’s 17-22 — despite Atlanta being 13-17 near the end of the half with NY 0-2 at the time.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705168
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