Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Trae Young is to the New York Knicks what Dr. Doom is to Mr. Fantastic: a supervillain of monumental proportions. Every time Young steps foot in Madison Square Garden, he makes historic contributions. For Knicks fans, Young must bring back memories of Reggie Miller.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, Young helped the Atlanta Hawks defeat the Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. He ended the game with 22 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and one steal. He shot 8-of-22 from the field and 2-of-8 from three-point range.
Speaking on SportsCenter shortly after the game, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins praised Young. He noted that he consistently finds a way to raise his game against the Knicks. Perkins also noted Young’s performances in New York are akin to his residing in the city, effectively making it his playground.
“When it comes down to players having the most 40-point games in Madison Square Garden, it is Trae Young, Michael Jordan, Bernard King and Kobe Bryant,” Perkins said. “So, although Trae Young’s home is in Atlanta, he resides in New York in Madison Square Garden…Obviously, Trae Young was the best player on the floor, dictating the offense…This Hawks team has signature wins this season. They beat the Celtics, they beat the Cavs twice, they beat the Knicks twice and they’ve also beaten the Milwaukee Bucks.”
Following the loss, the Knicks have now been eliminated from the NBA Cup.
Jalen Brunson Responds to Young ‘Shooting Dice’
With the clock winding down in the fourth quarter, Young risked the ire of the Knicks fanbase. He pretended to roll dice while standing on the Knicks logo at half-court. His antics were clearly designed to show the New York crowd that Atlanta was set to make the trip to Las Vegas.
When asked about Young’s antics after the game, Jalen Brunson bluntly answered that it was up to the Knicks to win the game, which would have ensured Young wasn’t so brazen.
“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do that,” Brunson said.
New York will now turn their attention back to the regular season and fighting for a high seeding in the Eastern Conference. Tom Thibodeau’s team is expected to embark on a deep playoff run and potentially challenge the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
Karl-Anthony Towns Has High Hopes For Knicks
Since adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, the Knicks have been 15-10, fourth in the Eastern Conference. However, they have been incredibly inconsistent to begin the season.
Towns remained upbeat when speaking to the media following the Knicks’ loss to the Hawks. He noted that the Knicks are still learning to play as a unit, and once they figure it out, they’ll be tough opponents to stop.
“Obviously you just want to be the best you can be,” Towns said. “Miami Heat years ago with LeBron had a whole year before they figured out how to put a banner up. …I can’t tell you. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I think we show what we could be when things click at a high level… I can’t tell you an exact time, but I can tell you that every day we’re working to be the best version of ourselves. And how we can consistently show that to the fans, to the city. I think that the fans and all y’all see what we’re trying to do.”
Including OG Anunoby, the Knicks added three huge pieces to their roster within 12 months. It takes time for those sort of changes to pay dividends. Everybody is embracing a new role. And everyone is learning how to get the best out of each other. When the Knicks do figure things out, they will likely prove themselves as an elite unit.
For now, though, Knicks fans can only sit and remain patient.
Comments
Former NBA Champion Believes Trae Young ‘Resides’ in New York