hawks

Trae Young’s dad throws shade at New York Knicks fans

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trae young, knicks, hawks

The New York Knicks were embarrassed by the Atlanta Hawks over five games in their first postseason appearance since 2012. Despite the Knicks having an admirable regular season, led by head coach Tom Thibodeau and All-Star Julius Randle, they simply didn’t have enough star talent to push them forward when it mattered most.

Despite the fans’ best efforts, they were unable to discourage the Hawks, even sending out a few profanity-ridden chants toward Trae Young.

However, there were a few instances throughout the series that were uncalled for, specifically a fan spitting toward Young in an outrageous expression of misguided emotion.

Young’s dad, Ray, came to his defense, taking a fair share of shots at New York Knicks fans in the process for their lack of respect.

“I’m seeing a lot of dry hating on the app right now,” Ray Young wrote Friday night from his personal Twitter account, targeting Knicks fans specifically. “Doesn’t get any worse than that. Wishing for another teams downfall because your team got embarrassed. Y’all take them 4 L’s and focus on next year. Quit cheerleadin.”

Ray has a point, as the Knicks fans didn’t treat Young and the Hawks particularly well, but his son did a fair share of gloating during and after games. Some of the chants were undoubtedly over the top, but Trae didn’t seem phased, stating after the series that he enjoyed the atmosphere, despite the physical altercation that caused a fan to be banned permanently from The Garden.

“I didn’t feel it. I saw the video and it’s disgusting,” Trae Young said. “For me as a player, I come out here to do my job and play. I had no problem with the fans and what they’ve been saying, things like that. It’s a part of it. It’s basketball and I enjoy it, I love it. I’m not mad at the fans who chant things or whatever. That’s for another subject. But for spitting and things like that, that’s uncalled for in any arena, any environment.

Especially during Covid, spitting toward a player from your luxurious courtside seats is not tolerable. The fan is not a representation of the Knicks fan base as a whole, and while Ray’s comments are justified in that respect, generalizing the entire fan-base is a bit outlandish.

3 reasons the New York Knicks fell to Atlanta in first game of series

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knicks, julius randle

The New York Knicks fell to the Atlanta Hawks in the first game of their opening postseason series at home. The Knicks claimed the 4th seed to give themselves the advantage on their home court to commence their postseason play, but a variety of factors hurt their efficiency and production throughout the game.

Atlanta is no joke, as they consist of multiple players who can score on a whim, including Trae Young, Lou Williams, and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Knicks’ defense simply couldn’t get the job done to hold out in the fourth quarter, losing by just two points.

Three reasons the New York Knicks fell to Atlanta:

1.) Julius Randle couldn’t catch a cold

The Knicks needed their All-Star to rise to the occasion and dominate when they needed him most, but he ended up shooting 6-of-23 from the field, including 2-of-6 from 3-PT, tallying just 15 points on the evening. Randle struggled throughout, turning the ball over three times and looking lackadaisical when trying to find his teammates in transition.

Randle admitted after the game that it wasn’t as most efficient performance, but he would bounce back on Wednesday with a vengeance. The Knicks need to claim at least one game before they head to Atlanta, and it would be a waste to the spirit and energy at MSG pass them by.

2.) Trae Young couldn’t be stopped in the paint

The Knicks were incredibly inefficient when Trae Young drove to the basket, specifically with his floaters. When Young would penetrate the interior, Knick defenders would hover towards the basket, giving him plenty of room to execute an open shot without much resistance.

If NY continues to give Young these efficient and productive looks, they will be taken advantage of, as Trae finished the game with 32 points, shooting 11-of-23 from the field and recording 10 assists.

3.) Complimentary pieces struggled at times

The Knicks put their best foot forward despite not having the efficiency from Julius Randle, but some of their complementary pieces also struggled in the loss. Specifically, Reggie Bullock failed to hit a three-pointer on five attempts, shooting 33% from the field. He was not only a liability on offense, his defense was also spotty, which cut his minutes to 19.

Rookie Obi Toppin ended up with 12 minutes of playing time, recording five points and an assist. The only reason New York had any foothold in the game was due to Alec Berks, who played 26 minutes and recorded 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Ultimately, the Knicks are going to need more from their starters if they want to win on Wednesday, as Bullock was inadequate, Randle was essentially a non-factor, and Elfrid Payton was a severe liability every time he sniffed the court.