The Atlanta Hawks did it again.
After statement wins over the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), the Hawks have now taken down the New York Knicks (also twice), this time in Madison Square Garden. While it is still technically a regular season matchup, the Emirates NBA Cup context gave it a playoff atmosphere.
Naturally, Hawks star Trae Young was on, delivering a 22-point, 11-assist performance with 5 rebounds and, perhaps most importantly, just 3 turnovers.
“Trae owns the Knicks,” Shaquille O’Neal said during TNT’s Postgame Show.
The Hall of Famer – who has become a veritable Hawks fan right down to “caw”ing – believed the statement so much, he said it twice. And Young, ever the showman, left MSG after a meticulously crafted celebration of the Hawks’ advancement to the next round of the NBA Cup.
Trae threw dice on the logo 😂😂🎲🎲 pic.twitter.com/blX2va3IVB
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 12, 2024
“I planned that one with my little brother a few days ago,” Young told reporters after the game. “We had talked about that. I knew what I was going to do. We were going to Vegas, so that's what I had to do.”
Young said that he would have done the celebration even if Hawks head coach Quin Snyder had decided to pull the starters early.
He also said being able eliminate the opponent on the grand stage added to the atmosphere.
“The elimination part makes it even more exciting and more intense for not only me, but everybody. So I think that's the part that made it fun tonight. But to be honest with you, I get up for every night. There's a lot of people in every arena that we go into and play. And, obviously, this is one of the grandest arenas in all the sports,” Young said.
“It gives you a little bit more motivation, but at the same time, every night is a great time to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Shaq: 'Trae Young Owns Knicks' after Hawks' win
Notably, Young is 7-14 against the Knicks in his career. This is his (and the Hawks’) second win in a row against their Easter Conference rival, both this season. However, they had lost three straight to the Knicks before that.
Still, Young has been a villain in New York since the 2021 playoffs.
Then, the now-three-time All-Star led the Hawks past the Knicks in five games. He has lived – rent-free, by the way – in the heads of Knicks fans ever since, garnering “F*** Trae Young” chants as he did during tonight’s game even when the Knicks are playing another team.
Young’s comments are also a far cry from his comments about the regular season being “more boring” than the playoffs from years ago.
Trae Young figures out Knicks’ defense, leads Hawks to big win
Young had 10 points in the first half. But he shot 45.5% from the floor, was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc, and had dished out just 2 assists.
He shot the ball even worse overall in the second half, connecting on 27.3% of his looks from the floor. But he was 2-for-5 from 3P, 4-for-4 at the free throw line, and tallied 9 assists to go with his 12 points.
“I figured out how they were guarding me, how they were staying with their man,” Young said postgame. “I wasn't able to get guys involved, they were staying with their guys in the first half, kinda forcing me to score. I scored a couple of buckets, and it allowed everybody else to open up.”
Young is clearly dialed in even if his shot is not falling with regularity.