Hawks struggle to cool off Knicks’ blazing hot shooting in 121-105 loss

Nearly every field goal attempt the Knicks made found the bottom of the net, whether it came in the paint, from midrange or from 3-point range. The Knicks just couldn’t seem to miss, making 75% of their overall field goals in the second quarter.

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and wing Mikal Bridges went a combined 7-of-7 from the floor. It didn’t matter who the Hawks matched up against either of them, their shots went in.

“I just think they were way more aggressive than us,” said the Hawks’ Terance Mann. “They made shots. We weren’t that aggressive on the offensive end. We weren’t getting to the pain and making right decisions, although we had a couple of wide-open looks, but still both didn’t fall, but they just made shots, and they were way more physical, way more aggressive than us.”

2. But the Hawks didn’t seem to play with the usual energy that have won them games this season. Running has been a key for the Hawks this season, as they have looked to play with pace to keep opposing defenses off kilter.

Saturday afternoon, though, the Hawks gave up 18 points off their 15 turnovers after they allowed the Knicks to leak out and establish themselves.

“We to be more focused on that every play has challenges in that regard, whether it’s running defensively, you can point to anything,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “Because everything starts and flows from there, and we’re at a point here where we need to be ready to go to run is what it comes down to.”

3. After opening the game with a pair of 3-pointers and finishing the first quarter with 13 points, the Knicks held Hawks guard Trae Young to just three points the rest of the game. The Knicks played physical defense that forced Young off his spots, and rushed him and the Hawks into passes that resulted in turnovers.

Young finished with 16 points and nine assists, but picked up his 500th career steal with just under three minutes to play in the second quarter.

He also passed Doc Rivers (823 assists, 1986-87) for the most assists in a single season in Hawks history. Young has dished 832 assists this season, the most by any player in the NBA since 2016-17.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

4. The Hawks have lacked size for the past few weeks with veteran centers Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. out with injuries. The Hawks have leaned heavily on starting center Onyeka Okongwu and have brought Dominick Barlow off the bench.

But despite starting Mouhamed Gueye at power forward, the Hawks played him just five minutes in the first half, before sitting him for the next two-and-a-half quarters. Gueye did not return to the court until he started the fourth quarter as the team’s center.

“There’s no easy answer for those questions,” Snyder said. “Shots go in, and that seems like the right thing. They don’t go in. We weren’t stopping anybody anyway. So, but you know, again, those are decisions that present themselves in every game. And we’ve been playing 10 guys too. So, however the minutes get distributed. It’s been a little different from game to game.”

5. The Hawks still have a one-game lead over the Heat and the Bulls with five games left for each team. The Hawks face the Jazz, the Magic twice, the Nets and the 76ers. The Heat play the Bucks, the 76ers, the Bulls, the Pelicans and the Wizards. The Bulls face the Hornets, the Cavaliers, the Heat, the Wizards and the 76ers.

But the Hawks clinched their spot in the Play-In. Now they play to find out where and who they will play.

Stat to know

Trae Young is on pace to become the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 24.0 points and 11.0 assists, joining Harden (2016-17), Oscar Robertson (1961-62, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66) and Nate Archibald (1972-73).

Quotable

“We just got to be locked in on what we’re trying to do. We got to figure out what we’re trying to do. I think kind of got away from that last couple games, last couple losses.” -- Terance Mann on how the Hawks bounce back.

Up Next

The Hawks return to action at State Farm Arena on Sunday against the Jazz.