The New York Knicks gave fans almost no bright spots in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks, holders of the NBA’s worst record. The losing skid has hit three in a row.
- New York Knicks 96 (23-31)
- Atlanta Hawks 99 (16-37)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
On one of the biggest days in sports, the Knicks didn’t play like their season was on the line. Both teams put out a dreadful shooting performance in the first half, but the Hawks were able to do enough to get the win.
The Knicks found it very difficult to score in the first half. Shooting under 40 percent as a team, Courtney Lee and Trey Burke led with a team-high seven points, but turnovers killed the Knicks.
A microcosm of the Knicks first half occurred after the Knicks got a great chance off a turnover from the Hawks. Kristaps Porzingis, who shot two for ten with six points during the first half, got a deflection and threw the ball to Jarrett Jack. Jack with no one else besides him and Kyle O’Quinn near the hoop, inexcusably tried a no-look pass and threw the ball out of bounds. The Knicks finished the half with ten turnovers.
The Hawks didn’t exactly put the roof on fire with their shooting, but Kent Bazemore hit two three-point shots at key spots in the game. Dennis Schroder, while not having a huge scoring impact on the game, was adept at driving in the lane and kicking out to shooters. Bazemore finished the game with 19 points, and the Hawks as a team shot 45 percent from the three-point line.
Burke came in during the third quarter and sparked a nice comeback as the Knicks closed out the quarter up by two. Burke utilized the pick and roll to perfection and was the Knicks top scorer with 14 points, going into the fourth quarter.
Tim Hardaway Jr. continued his shooting slump. Hardaway Jr. scored nine points on nine shots. But it was his lack of execution that made his game especially concerning for the Knicks. Hardaway Jr. committed a costly turnover stepping on the out of bounds line with the Knicks down by two.
Porzingis finished the game with the 22 points but missed some clutch free throws down the stretch. The Knicks have a home game Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. If things don’t turn around quickly, the Knicks may be sellers at the trade deadline and the home crowd cheers may turn into boos.
Don’t go in the ?’s paint. pic.twitter.com/xZq3abZRVy
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 4, 2018
And-1. pic.twitter.com/6y8bGCrOjN
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 4, 2018
KO ? pic.twitter.com/VGgRwVZHR9
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 4, 2018
