NEW YORK — The Atlanta Hawks continued their impressive run in the NBA Cup by defeating the New York Knicks 108-100 on Wednesday night, earning a spot in the semifinals in Las Vegas. Trae Young played a pivotal role, contributing 22 points and 11 assists, while De’Andre Hunter and Jalen Johnson had standout performances against the Knicks’ frontcourt. Hunter posted 24 points, and Johnson recorded an impressive 21 points along with 15 rebounds and seven assists.
The Hawks proved to be one of the tournament’s most unexpected success stories, having earlier eliminated the reigning champion Celtics and the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers to secure their place as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference for the knockout stage. They are now set to face the Milwaukee Bucks, the tournament’s top seed, in a semifinal matchup scheduled for Saturday.
For the Knicks, Josh Hart led the scoring with 21 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns had a near double-double with 19 points and 19 rebounds. The Knicks had started strong, jumping out to a 12-point advantage at one point during the game as they maintained their unbeaten record in group play. However, the game mirrored past encounters, especially the 2021 playoffs, where Young once again celebrated victory on the Madison Square Garden floor after pushing the Knicks out of the tournament.
**Key Takeaway**
For the Hawks, simply making it out of a challenging pool would have been seen as a valuable experience for several of the team’s younger players. Now, they are in contention to possibly win the entire tournament with just two victories needed in Las Vegas. The Knicks, once considered favorites to secure the championship, experienced a disappointing second half, marking their second loss to Atlanta this season.
**Key Moment**
The turning point in the game came when the Knicks were leading 66-62, and Trae Young erupted with eight consecutive points, including a deep 31-foot three-pointer. Following his scoring spree, Hunter added another three-pointer, contributing to an 11-0 run that allowed Atlanta to take a 73-66 lead.
**Key Stat**
In the second half, the Hawks drastically outperformed the Knicks, scoring 61 points compared to New York’s 46.
**Up Next**
The Hawks are set for their semifinal clash in Las Vegas, while the Knicks will be shifting their focus to a game in Orlando on Sunday.
