Earlier today there was a photo posted New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau going over the Knicks vs Hawks playoff game last night. In the game the Knicks would lose in the final ten seconds via two-pointer from Trae Young with the final score being 107-105. With that the Atlanta Hawks take the first game in the series, going up 1-0 on the Knicks, who have not been in the playoffs since the 2012/13 season.
The New York Knicks only won 21 games last season and were only projected to win 15 this season, over the offseason the Knicks hired Tom Thibodeau for the coaching position. Thibodeau came in MSG with what many thought to be a 'failing team' and he took that 'failing team' and made them into a 41 win team in just a span of months with almost the same exact roster that played last season. Tom Thibodeau made a 21 win team into a 41 win team in just a short span. With that said the Knicks were able to clinch 4th in the Eastern Conference, which meant it was playoff time.
Last night the Knicks played game one of the first round against the Hawks in MSG in front of a roaring crowd. In the first quarter the Knicks struggled only putting up 16 points, then in the second the bench came and put up almost all of the 34 points scored in the quarter. At halftime the New York Knicks trailed the Atlanta Hawks 52-50. In the third quarter the Knicks once again out scored the Hawks 23-19, making it two quarters now the Knicks have put up more points than the visiting Hawks. Going into the fourth and final quarter you could barley hear the announcers as the crowd was too loud in the famous arena. With 6:43 left of the fourth the Knicks saw key player Nerlens Noel go out with an apparent leg injury, he would not return. After that the Knicks struggled to score at time with many missed shots, turnovers and questionable fouls. going into the final few seconds Hawks player Trae young would put up his 32nd point of the night as he got a two-pointer to fall in the net just under the final seconds. The Knicks would get the ball with 9.8 left on the clock, calling the timeout to allow more time to move Thibodeau called the timeout. It would be Alec Burks throwing in the ball, he threw it to all star Julius Randle who was 6-23 on the night, Randle would be 6-24 at the end as he air balled it allowing Atlanta to win and having the Knicks miss an overtime chance.
Now, not even a full day later and the Knicks are already working hard for Wednesdays game. A photo was leaked of Thibodeau showing the game tape, more preictally the part where Trae Young was 'silencing' the New York crowd. The players are watching very focused. The Knicks will be going in the next game with vengeance, we are in the Knicks era now.
Overall the Knicks played great, but mainly it was the bench that did most of the work as Alec Burks led the overall scoring for the Knicks along with the most bench points scored as well for the team, getting 27 points in 26 minutes. Derrick Rose was the only Point Guard that scored for the Knicks, going 8-16 and 1-4 from the three point line Rose got 17 on the night. Big shoutout to Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin who played their first career playoff game, both players got points with IQ showing off his basketball IQ, getting 10 points along with two rebounds and three assists and Obi Toppin got five points with a rebound and assist.
This will be a very intense series.
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