Hawks Edge Knicks In Overtime Thriller, Shaking Up Playoff Race
Hawks Edge Knicks In Overtime Thriller, Shaking Up Playoff Race...
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 121-119 in a dramatic overtime battle Friday night at Madison Square Garden, intensifying the Eastern Conference playoff race. Trae Young scored 38 points, including a clutch step-back three-pointer with 12 seconds left in OT, while Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 34 points in the loss.
The game is trending nationally as it carried major postseason implications. With the win, Atlanta (42-38) moves into sole possession of the East’s 8th seed, while New York (40-40) now sits just one game ahead of Chicago for the final Play-In Tournament spot with two games remaining.
Madison Square Garden erupted when Brunson tied the game at 111-111 with a driving layup at the regulation buzzer. The overtime period featured five lead changes before Young’s dagger three over Mitchell Robinson. Knicks fans booed loudly as replays showed Robinson appearing to foul Young on the decisive shot.
NBA Twitter exploded with reactions to the controversial no-call, with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith tweeting “The refs swallowed their whistles when it mattered most.” The league’s Last Two Minute Report, due Saturday afternoon, will be closely watched.
The Hawks improved to 3-1 against New York this season, a critical tiebreaker. Both teams face must-win games Sunday – Atlanta hosts Washington while New York travels to Boston. The Knicks haven’t missed the playoffs since 2021, while Atlanta seeks to return after last year’s absence.
Friday’s thriller drew 19,812 fans, the Knicks’ 319th consecutive sellout. Ticket resale prices had surged above $400 earlier this week as New Yorkers anticipated the playoff-intensity matchup. The game peaked at 4.2 million viewers on ESPN, the network’s second-most-watched NBA regular season broadcast this year.
Coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters postgame: “We’ll learn from this and be ready for Boston.” The Knicks have dropped four of their last six, while the Hawks have won five straight to charge into contention. Sunday’s regular season finale could determine whether either team avoids the single-elimination Play-In games.
