NEW YORK (AP) — Trae Younger was dribbling Wednesday evening when he leaned towards the emblem at New York’s middle court docket and he pretended to roll cube.
“We’re going to Vegas,” the Atlanta guard mentioned, “in order that’s what I needed to do.”
When he is at Madison Sq. Backyard, at all times guess on Younger.
The court docket was orange this time, however in any other case it seemed just like the 2021 playoffs. The Knicks had simply been eradicated and Younger was celebrating in the course of their enviornment.
The star guard had 22 factors and 11 assists, main the Hawks to a 108-100 victory within the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. They are going to journey to Las Vegas to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
Younger grew to become a villain for Knicks followers in 2021, when New York reached the playoffs for the primary time in eight years and drew the Hawks within the first spherical. They taunted him profanely within the first match, even making enjoyable of his hair, however the level guard bought the final snort.
He made a runner within the lane with 0.9 seconds remaining to offer Atlanta a 107-105 victory on this sequence opener. When the sequence returned to New York for Sport 5, Younger scored 36 factors. earlier than bowing like a Broadway actor because the Hawks completed the sequence.
He had already bowed earlier than to punctuate a victory. The cube rolling celebration was new to this recreation.
“I deliberate this one with my little brother just a few days in the past,” he mentioned. “We had talked about it and I imply, I knew what I used to be going to do.”
Younger mentioned he did not hear venom like he did in 2021 till late within the recreation. The Knicks managed the primary half, main by 12 at one level, however Atlanta turned issues round within the third quarter.
Younger, the NBA’s assists chief, was proper in the course of the decisive rally. He scored eight straight factors throughout one stretch within the third quarter, pointing to the ground to point out how deep he was when he made a 31-footer for his second straight 3-pointer.
“There was a second within the recreation the place he might really feel the play,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder mentioned.
The Hawks outscored the Knicks 61-46 within the second half, taking such management that a variety of followers headed for the exits earlier than the tip. Some who had been nonetheless there booed Younger one final time throughout his celebration.
“We should always win the sport if we don’t need him to try this,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson mentioned.
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