The Knicks wrapped up the first portion of their season on a high — yet exhausting — note, outlasting the conference-rival Atlanta Hawks in overtime, 149-148, at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— While the Knicks considered OG Anunoby (foot sprain) a game-time decision hours before tip-off, the veteran winger was ultimately ruled out of the lineup for a fifth consecutive contest. His absence was predictable, considering the team won’t play again until Feb. 20. So, the All-Star break comes at a convenient time for Anunoby.
— It didn’t take long for old tensions to flare between the teams, as Josh Hart and Mouhamed Gueye grappled over a rebound near the Knicks’ basket. The brief tussle for the ball led to a larger scrum on the baseline, but no fouls were called and New York claimed possession.
— Midway through the first quarter, the Knicks received equal contributions from their lineup… literally. The five starters had four points apiece at the 6:02 mark. But it didn’t take long for Jalen Brunson to find his groove. He erased Tuesday’s poor eight-point performance with a sharp 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting with five assists. New York led by as much as 10 in the quarter.
— Coming off a stellar 40-point showing against the Pacers on Tuesday, Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his cheat-code scoring pace in the second quarter. He found success in the paint and beyond the arc, and by the 4:05 mark, he had 24 points and the Knicks led by 17. It was Towns’ 14th half this season with 20-plus points.
— The Garden’s villain was anything but formidable in the first half, as Hawks star Trae Young scored a measly seven points on 2-of-11 shooting. Entering Wednesday, he had averaged 24 points in three games against the Knicks this season. But his teammates managed to pick up the slack, as Atlanta closed the second quarter on a 12-2 run, trailing by only eight.
— While the Hawks opened the third quarter with back-to-back buckets, the Knicks quickly responded with more red-hot shooting from Towns. He scored 12 straight Knicks points, bumping his game total to 36 at the 8:13 mark. But the Hawks didn’t relent — they cut their deficit to five with a steady 17-7 run, forcing a Knicks timeout with 3:41 left in the third.
— Atlanta’s depth largely contributed to its resiliency. Through three quarters, they outscored New York in bench points by a staggering 35-4 margin, and with 41 third-quarter points, they trailed by only three (104-101). Young also picked up the pace, bumping his point total to 18 through 36 minutes of play.
— The Knicks regained control early in the fourth quarter, scoring the first nine points to push their lead back into double-digits. But the Hawks continued to claw back, and with a three from Young at the 3:48 mark, they trailed by just two. Luckily for New York, its captain came up clutch, as Brunson drained two buckets for five points to push the lead back to four, 133-129, with 1:08 left.
— The drama didn’t end following Brunson’s act, though. Despite leading by six with 18 seconds left, the Knicks stunningly allowed five straight points to the Hawks that silenced the crowd. With the score tied and 2.9 seconds on the clock, the Knicks advanced the ball to midcourt with a timeout, but Brunson’s attempt at a game-winning shot went wide. Somehow, Atlanta forced overtime.
— Young gave the Hawks their first lead of the game with a running layup at the start of overtime, and moments later, Caris LeVert added a three to push Atlanta’s run to 11-0. But another four points from Brunson helped the Knicks reclaim the lead at the 3:20 mark, and a dunk from Precious Achuiwa with 1:25 left pushed their advantage back to three.
— With 11 seconds left in overtime, Brunson played the role of hero by draining the game-winning jumper at the top of the key. But the fight wasn’t over — the Knicks still allowed two Hawks shots in the final seconds that fortunately didn’t land. The 297 combined points made it the highest-scoring game of the NBA season.
— All five Knicks starters posted double-digit points, and it was Achiuwa who impressed by scoring a season-high 26 points with eight rebounds in place of Anunoby. Hart also recorded a solid double-double of 18 points and 10 boards, while Brunson delivered an impactful 36 points with eight assists.
— Deuce McBride, who scored 15 points on Tuesday and entered Wednesday as questionable with a rib injury, played only eight minutes against the Hawks and was ruled out late in the third quarter. The Garden’s villain in Young also recovered from a rough first half by finishing with 38 points and 19 assists in a relentless 44 minutes.
Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns
For a second consecutive game, Towns didn’t look the least bit hampered by his injured thumb. He produced back-to-back 40-point games (40, 44) for the first time in his career, and it was also his 15th game with 30-plus points this season. He’ll be happily traveling to San Francisco for All-Star festivities this weekend.
Highlights
Up next
The Knicks (36-18) enter the All-Star break as the Eastern Conference’s three-seed, and they’ll begin the second portion of their regular season next Thursday, Feb. 20, against the Chicago Bulls (7:30 tip).
