Knicks Clip Hawks, Trae Young in Holiday Win

The New York Knicks took a win from old enemy Trae Young at Madison Square Garden.

Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) goes to the basket in front of Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Only the good fry Young, and the New York Knicks finally pulled off the feat this season on Monday afternoon-into-evening.

The Knicks withstood a strong start from old enemy Trae Young, overcoming an early deficit to earn a 119-110 victory over his Atlanta Hawks amidst celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day. With the win, New York took down Atlanta for the first time in three tries this season and ended the Hawks' three-game winning streak.

Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Young broke loose for 18 points, all but three earned via the deep ball, in the first half, which saw Atlanta build an eight-point lead by intermission. Closer supervision from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, however, limited Young to but nine points in the second half, while also taking away nine turnovers. Young was also a mere 1-of-6 with an extra point on the line in the second half, which saw the Knicks outscore the Hawks by 17.

Bridges wound up impressing on both sides of the ball, as 14 points in the third quarter, part of 26-tally output overall, helped permanently shift momentum en route to the win. Jalen Brunson put in a game-best 34 points while Karl-Anthony Towns had 13 points, making up for a rusty shooting night (5-of-18) with nine rebounds and seven assists in his return to action after two games off with a sprained thumb.

Brunson's scoring output, most of which came in the first half as he kept the Knicks in the game, marked the 68th time that he scored at least 30 in a New York uniform. That passes the late Willis Reed for the sixth-most in Knicks franchise history.

Once the second half got underway, the Knicks (28-16) signaled a changing of the guard by scoring the first seven points of the third period, appropriately tipping things off with Bridges and Josh Hart assisting on each other's baskets. Though he missed no time, Hart himself likewise returned to action after an injury scare, putting in 14 after enduring a neck injury in Friday's loss to Minnesota.

The Hawks (22-20) kept things close for the rest of the game but Bridges' and-one just past two minutes gone by in the third gave the Knicks what proved to be a permanent lead. Every time Atlanta shrank the lead to one on multiple occasions, the Knicks had a response, including a four-point by Cameron Payne where not even a technical foul charged for his jubilation could put a damper on the proceedings. It was part of a 9-1 run that placed the Knicks ahead by no less than five for the remainder of the game.

Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) shoots the ball as Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) defends during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In setting some history, the Knicks also severed a bit of a recent NBA consistency: by forcing Atlanta reserve Bogdan Bogdanovic into an 0-of-4 night from deep, New York stopped his streak of games with at least one three-pointer at 110, the fifth-longest tally in Association history.

There's no rest for the Knicks, who immediately head across town to face off against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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