Trae Young was back in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, and back in his villain role that he established during last year's postseason.
Less than a year after dispatching the Knicks in the first round, completing the five-game dismantling with a bow to the MSG crowd, Young was back at it again on Tuesday, all but ending New York's already slim play-in hopes by dropping 45 points, then downplaying the home court factor for the Knicks.
"It wasn't even that loud to be honest with you," Young said of The Garden crowd, which had little to cheer about in the fourth quarter after Young took over.
Young shot 13-for-25 from the floor, dished out eight assists, and converted 12 of his 14 free throw attempts, once again antagonizing the Knicks and their fanbase, even telling one courtside fan to "Hold that L" while the final seconds of a Hawks win were ticking off the clock, and the final seconds were ticking off the Knicks' hopes of catching Atlanta for the final play-in spot.
The point guard added more embarrassment in the final minutes of the game, crossing up a helpless Taj Gibson on the perimeter, sending Gibson to the floor before knocking down a mid-range jumper to extend the Hawks lead to eight with just over a minute to go. Like his bow to the crowd a year before, it was a fitting finishing touch on a night of dominance, as he continues to be Public Enemy No. 1 in Gotham.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
