For a half on Wednesday, the New York Knicks were in full control of their NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Atlanta Hawks.
But Atlanta stormed back with a third-quarter outburst en route to a 108-100 win to advance to a semifinal matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks will face the Bucks on Saturday in Las Vegas. The Knicks are eliminated from the NBA Cup.
The Knicks opened a 28-22 first-quarter lead that they extended to 54-47 at halftime. The lead swelled to 62-52 early in the third quarter. But the Hawks looked like a different team for most of the second half and took their first lead of the game at 68-66 on a Trae Young catch-and-shoot 3.
The Knicks never led again. The Hawks outscored the Knicks, 34-18 in the third quarter and fought back a fourth-quarter Knicks run to silence a frantic Madison Square Garden crowd.
Young scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter in a performance that echoed his effort in the 2021 playoffs to lead the Hawks in an upset of the Knicks. He added 11 assists and five rebounds.
The Knicks cut a nine-point deficit to 93-87 midway through the fourth quarter. But the Hawks withstood the run and punched back to secure the eight-point victory.
The Hawks controlled the ball after halftime with a dominant effort on the offensive glass. They finished the game with an 58-49 rebounding margin that included 22 offensive rebounds.
This was not a one-man show for Atlanta. Far from it. Fourth-year breakout forward Jalen Johnson repeatedly made big plays on both sides of the court en route to 21 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks.
De’Andre Hunter add 24 points off the bench while hitting 4 of 5 shots from long distance. Onyeka Okongwu double-doubled with 12 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks off the bench. It’s the type of effort Atlanta’s seeking from a young roster that’s looking to works its way up in the Eastern Conference pecking order.
It’s not the type of game the Hawks have produced consistently this season in a 14-12 start. But they stepped on on a big stage in a playoff-like atmosphere on Wednesday.
