ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks capped off a thrilling game by overcoming a late deficit, edging past the New York Knicks with a score of 121-116 on Wednesday night. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the stellar performance of Zaccharie Risacher, the number one overall draft pick, who poured in 33 points and added seven rebounds to his stat line. This impressive scoring feat marks him as the highest-scoring rookie of the season so far, as he contributed three assists, three steals, and two blocks to help secure the victory for his team.
The Hawks found themselves trailing 110-105 with less than three minutes left on the clock, but they surged back with a devastating 13-1 run to clinch the win. Jalen Johnson significantly supported the effort with a double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Trae Young, who recently struggled in his previous outing against the Boston Celtics, rebounded with a solid performance comprising 23 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns shone brightly, leading his team with a remarkable 34 points and 16 rebounds. Jalen Brunson also contributed a respectable 21 points but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
Despite a sluggish start, the Knicks managed to recover in the latter stages of the game. Their fans in the stands witnessed their team improve as the game progressed, but they ultimately wrapped up their road trip with a 2-2 record. Conversely, the Hawks bounced back from a disappointing 30-point defeat against the Celtics by delivering one of their most outstanding performances this season, especially by Risacher, who displayed marked improvement.
A pivotal moment late in the game came when Clint Capela capped a pivotal 9-1 run with a thunderous dunk on a fast break, putting the Hawks ahead 114-111 with just 46.9 seconds remaining. Young initiated that fast break, following a missed three-pointer from Towns, leading to Capela’s spectacular finish.
One interesting statistic from the game was the Knicks’ proficiency from beyond the arc. Entering the match, they were recognized as the top three-point shooting team in the league at 41.4%, while the Hawks had struggled defensively against the three, allowing a league-high 39.8%. The Knicks continued their shooting prowess, hitting 22 of 47 attempts from long range, translating to an impressive 46.8% success rate in the game.
Looking ahead, the Knicks will return to their home court to take on the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Meanwhile, the Hawks will travel to Detroit for their next matchup as they begin their third back-to-back set of games this season.