Dyson Daniels deserves a standing ovation after his performance at Madison Square Garden. The young defender had the tough job of guarding Jalen Brunson, the engine behind the NBA’s best offense, and he nailed it. Brunson struggled against Daniels’ relentless defense, managing only 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting during Wednesday night’s intense game.
Meanwhile, Trae Young embraced his role as Madison Square Garden’s ultimate villain, and Knicks fans were not happy. He scored 22 points (on 22 shots) and dished out 11 assists, but it was his theatrics in the final seconds that stole the show. With the game already decided, Young stood on the Knicks logo at center court, mimed blowing on dice, rolled them, and then acted like he was scooping up winnings at a craps table. The crowd didn’t like it, but Young thrived in the moment.
“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do that,” Brunson said afterward.
Young wasn’t just putting on a show; he led an Atlanta Hawks offense that repeatedly broke down New York’s defense late in the game. The Hawks kept finding opportunities for alley-oop dunks while the Knicks’ defense couldn’t seem to get a stop when it mattered most. D’Andre Hunter came off the bench hot, draining four three-pointers on his way to a 24-point night, and Jalen Johnson was dominant with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
It was a BALANCED team effort for the Hawks as they get the #EmiratesNBACup Quarterfinals W 🏆
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2024
Trae Young: 22 PTS, 10 AST, 5 REB
Jalen Johnson: 21 PTS, 17 REB, 7 AST
De'Andre Hunter: 24 PTS, 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/fNqFR7n7HU
All of this fueled Atlanta’s 108-100 victory, punching their ticket to the NBA Cup semi-finals in Las Vegas, where they’ll face the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
This wasn’t your average regular-season game—it had the intensity of a playoff showdown. The Hawks brought a physical, gritty style of basketball that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau usually demands from his team. Atlanta owned the boards, snagging 22 offensive rebounds and securing 36% of their own missed shots.
The Knicks actually started strong, thanks to a quick nine points from Mikal Bridges, and held the lead through most of the first half and into the third quarter. Atlanta wasn’t exactly sharp early on, starting the game 1-for-7 from three-point range. But things shifted in the third quarter when the Hawks went on a massive 27-8 run, flipping the script entirely.
From there, the Knicks struggled to keep up. Atlanta’s defense, with its length and athleticism, made life miserable for New York’s offense. Add to that a very physical style of play—with the referees letting a lot slide—and the Knicks couldn’t find their rhythm. Josh Hart did his best, scoring 21 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns put up a strong 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Still, New York’s bench could only muster 14 points compared to Atlanta’s 43, leaving a noticeable gap.
In the end, the Knicks just couldn’t crack Atlanta’s defense or stop them on the other end. Now, New York will stay home to face the Orlando Magic next week, with plenty to think about after this frustrating loss.
As for Atlanta? They’re headed to Las Vegas, ready to fight for the NBA Cup.
