ATLANTA – The Enviornment of the State Farm will need to have lacked rooster. The one menu merchandise was the Grié hawk.
The Knicks took a 25-point lead at halftime in a 121-105 victory for victory No. 49 of the season. They’ll have the chance to ensure victory No. 50 for the second consecutive season on the second ground of a again in opposition to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday – a match that Jalen Brunson ought to make his return after having missed a month of motion as a consequence of a sprain to the proper ankle.
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The Knicks scored 78 factors within the first half: 38 within the opening interval, adopted by a bonus of 40-22 within the second quarter. Their 78 factors in half scored the second largest variety of New York marked in a approach this season, dragging solely the second half of 83 factors in opposition to the Grizzlies of Memphis on January 27.
“I believe we have been simply concentrated, locked up, clearly, we knew that we needed to convey it with an early begin to the match,” added striker Josh Hart.
The Knicks made 13 of their first 18 3 factors and completed match 15 of 29 within the metropolis heart. It was their fourth handiest 3 -point taking pictures efficiency of the season.
Not unhealthy for a staff that also lacks his captain, his sixth man (Miles McBride – L’Aine) and his defensive anchor (Mitchell Robinson – left the administration of ankle accidents), though the Hawks have been with out key components Jalen Johnson, Clint Capela, Kobe Bufkin and Larry Nance Jr.
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“We’ve got a number of good pictures,” mentioned Knicks striker Og Anunoby. “Landry [Shamet] can actually shoot. Delon [Wright] can pull. Cam [Payne] can pull. Kat (cities of Karl-Anthony). Everybody. Josh. So we’ve a big staff of shooters and everybody shoots with confidence and it is contagious. »»
Anunoby (24 factors) and Mikal Bridges (20 factors) mixed for 32 factors within the first half to assist the Knicks construct a 34-time advance advance. Cities scored a prime of 30 factors on 10 shoots out of 15 from the sector to go along with 11 rebounds.
The sturdy protection of the Knicks continued on Saturday, holding all of the Hawks aside from Trae Younger (16 factors, 5 of the 15 pictures on the bottom) at 14 factors or much less.
“”[We were] Simply linked collectively. I believed good aggressiveness on the ball, then good assist, nice effort, a second and a 3rd effort, “mentioned Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.” While you defend Trae Younger, it forces you to do multiple factor. It’s important to fly and I believed we had carried out it. After which I believed that the rebound was good after which you might be involved about them as a result of they’re so disturbing defensively. “”
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Hart mentioned the match plan was to take away the ball from the palms of Younger.
“Clearly, it’s a participant’s hell. We have been simply making an attempt to make him troublesome, to get him out of the ball and to make the opposite guys and to get began,” mentioned Hart. “Kat did an excellent job within the Blitz. Kal (Bridges) did a wonderful job on him all yr spherical, in order that was the form of match plan and we did it.”
Caris Lever (14 factors), Georges Niang (13) and Terence Mann (14) mixed for 41 factors out of 17 pictures on the sector, however Atlanta’s freshmen gathered solely 52 factors in opposition to 100 for the 5 Knicks.
“Sure, we have been involved about Levert and Niang on the bench,” mentioned Thibodeau. “If you’re not cautious, they’ll do a number of injury. This staff is an distinctive offensive staff. In the event you drop your guard, it might probably get 10 in a single minute.”
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Hart got here throughout a rebound in his tenth triple-double season with 16 factors, 11 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 interceptions, and Wright completed with 10 factors in 29 minutes from the Bronnson injured. Payne returned to programming after lacking six video games with an ankle sprain and completed with three factors and 5 assists, and Shamet posted his fifth two -digit efficiency in her final seven video games with 12 factors on the bench.
Regardless of the eruption, Anunoby, Hart, Bridges and Cities every recorded 33 minutes or extra.
Knicks No. 3 improved at 3.5 video games earlier than the fourth seeded Indiana Pacers, who will face candidate MVP Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
A Knicks victory in opposition to the Suns and a defeat of the Pacers in opposition to the Nuggets, besides Scells, the New York qualifying collection behave because the third seeded of the Jap Convention, and two different victories will cement the place.
“We are attempting to win all of the matches we play. Not simply two,” mentioned Cities. “We have been capable of do an excellent job to remain targeted and end the season in drive.”
