Hawks 107, Knicks 105: “We have to do a better job”
Game 1 of the Knicks’ return to the playoffs is in the books, and if the old adage that “a playoff series doesn’t begin until the home team loses” is true, then the Knicks are now in the thick of it.
If it’s true that playoff series don’t really begin until the home team loses, the New York Knicks’ postseason is now well and truly underway after last night’s 107-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. A back-and-forth affair in front of 15,000, the team’s biggest crowd at Madison Square Garden in nearly 16 months, went down to the wire before Trae Young hit the winning runner with just under one second left. That’s where the Knicks lost, but not how. Giving up 36 in the fourth was a factor. So was New York’s starters being outscored 76-41.
The Knicks led by two entering the final frame; given their status as the first team since 1993 to lead the league in opponents’ points, field goal percentage, and 3-point percentage, if you’d told Tom Thibodeau his team would score 32 in the quarter he’d pro’ly take his chances. But the triple team of Lou Williams early, the referees partway through, and Young late would prove too much to overcome. As a result, New York dropped Game 1 of a playoff series at home for the first time since the last series they played in vs. Indiana in 2013.
After sitting the whole third quarter, both Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin were out at the start of the fourth. The most surprising part of that was how unsurprising it was after the two rookies played so well in the first half. But the biggest impact early in the fourth came courtesy of their elder, Sweet Lou, an Atlanta native who, after being traded there, initially balked at the prospect. Much to the Knicks’ chagrin, it turns out you can go home again.
Williams ran off a one-man 7-0 run that tied the game at 73, part of a 13-point effort off the bench for the three-time Sixth Man of the Year. Lotta numbers in that sentence, right? Have some more: 39 minutes into the game, the Hawks had attempted only three free throws, none by Trae. Over the final nine, they took nine — all by Trae. If you missed the game and are one of those quaint souls who reads a recap to learn what happened, do me a favor. Ask around, find out where your nearest meat locker is, and stand inside for like five minutes. Once you exit, have someone smack your ear with a metal zipper. That pain, irritation and self-pity you’d feel? That was watching Young flop and retch like a crash-test dummy.
Easier to accept, but no less devastating: Bogdan Bogdanović coming up with huge shots almost every single time the Hawks needed one.
The Knicks were up three with a minute left, care of one of Randle’s few bright spots when this BB BB tied it up again, setting up Young’s endgame.
Two storylines that just keep on keeping on: the Knick bench dominated its minutes and Alec Burks is the team’s best fourth-quarter player. New York’s reserves outscored Atlanta’s 64 -31. Burks scored 18 of his 27 in the final frame; if they’d won he’d have been player of the game.
Game-winners tend to win the lion’s share of attention, usually for good reason, and Young’s had its share of subplots: Frank Ntilikina checking in to guard him after only playing the final few seconds of the first half; Young motivated by more than the W after the Garden crowd chanted “F*** Trae Young!” in the opening quarter; the usually reliable defensive firm of Ntilikina & Taj Gibson positioning themselves to Young’s left, only for Gibson to blitz and both defenders to let Young escape to the right, his strong side, before driving for the winning shot.
But the clip before that of Bogdanović tying the game is a closer frequency to the spirit of the loss, to the hurt it brings. Young drives and whips it to him in the corner, where RJ Barrett is waiting. A steal seals the deal. The ball hits him in the hands, but deflects to Bogie’s; not only that, but RJ’s momentum has him out of bounds instead of parallel to BB, leaving him just enough room to tie the game. Same for the Knicks. Close. Not close enough.
Notes
One of Randle’s worst games of the season. There were positives — he grabbed a dozen boards and, in his first playoff game ever, on a night he shot just 6-23, he wasn’t afraid to take the 3-pointer with two minutes left that put the Knicks in front. That being said, a return to form posthaste would be welcome. Most welcome indeed.
Same with Bullock.
Fourteen and 11 for RJ in his playoff debut. A rough start for Barrett, who seemed to find his way in the second half. Boy did he.
Nerlens Noel landed awkwardly late in the game and had to leave with what looked like a foot injury. Noel and Gibson matched Clint Capela’s production. If Noel is out, Gibson and Norvel Pelle are unlikely to.
The Knick rooks were not gonna get rooked. looking aggressive and effective. The Hawks tried hiding Kevin Huerter defensively on Obi Toppin and he drove and dished to Noel for an open jumper. Later he’d hit a 3-pointer. Between those was this.
In 21 minutes Quickley scored 10, including a couple longballs. Some longer than others.
I’m officially stumped. How is Elfrid Payton so valuable to the Knicks that he’s gotta start each half yet so superfluous he’s pulled within four minutes?
I didn’t follow the Knicks when John Condon was the P.A. announcer at MSG. There’s an unmistakable dignity and warmth in his voice when I watch games before 1990. For the post-Condonites, there is great joy and comfort in the sound of Mike Walczewski excitedly announcing the Knicks’ starting lineup.
Quoth Tom Thibodeau in the postgame presser: “...we have to do a better job.” The Knicks did some nice things that didn’t result in a win and enough bad things to lose. Game 2 is Wednesday night. The pressure rises with each game in a best-of-7. Win the next one and the Knicks relinquish loads of it. Lose and it’s only gonna get worse. See you then.
