Trae Young, Hawks Defeat Knicks in Game 5; Advance to Face 76ers in 2nd Round
Madison Square Garden was bumping early on Wednesday night. Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks couldn't have cared less.
The young Hawks ended the New York Knicks' season with a 103-89 thumping in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series between the teams. Atlanta showed major poise in the series, winning two of the three games in front of a rowdy New York City crowd.
The Knicks didn't go down without a fight in a game that got chippy on more than one occasion:
That's playoff basketball. But Young and the Hawks weren't intimidated, ending the Knicks' best season in years and first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 campaign.
It will be a tough night in New York, even after a season with so many positives. In Atlanta, it feels more like a coronation as the Hawks come into their own.
Key Stats
Trae Young, ATL: 36 points, nine assists
Clint Capela, ATL: 14 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks
De'Andre Hunter, ATL: 15 points
Julius Randle, NYK: 23 points (8-of-21 from the field), 13 rebounds, eight turnovers
Derrick Rose, NYK: Six points (3-of-11 from the field), five assists
RJ Barrett, NYK: 17 points, seven rebounds
Clint Capela Pushed Guys Around
On a night when Young wasn't terribly efficient from the field (10-of-28) and struggled from deep (3-of-11 from three), the Hawks needed other players to step up. Capela did just that, controlling the low block. His defensive presence was huge.
Before Game 5, Capela talked the talk:
In Game 5, he walked the walk.
The Knicks Needed More From Julius Randle
That subhead was probably true for nearly every game in this series.
Randle had a superb season, but it just didn't translate to the postseason. Whether that be the Hawks throwing different looks at him, Randle being worn down after appearing in 71 regular season games while averaging a whopping 37.6 minutes per contest, or simply him pressing and forcing the issue due to the Knicks lacking many reliable options on offense, he wasn't himself.
Tom Thibodeau's star players wearing down has been a storyline of his coaching career, given how heavily he relies on them in the regular season. Perhaps Randle was the latest example. Or perhaps he just had a run of tough games at the worst possible time.
Whatever the case may be, he wasn't good enough to keep the Knicks' season alive.
What's Next?
The Hawks will face the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.
