Knicks Drama! KAT & Brunson EXPLODE for 70 Points, Send Trae Young & Hawks Spiraling in Wild Finish

KAT & Brunson just dropped 70 POINTS combined! 🤯 Knicks survive a wild one in Atlanta while Trae Young struggles big time. Are the Knicks the most dangerous team in the East right now? 👇 #NewYorkKnicks #NBA

Saturday Night Thriller at State Farm Arena

If you blinked during Saturday night’s showdown at State Farm Arena, you probably missed a bucket. The New York Knicks pulled off a heart-stopping 128-125 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 27, and it was absolute chaos from tip-off to the final buzzer. With 10 lead changes in the first quarter alone, this wasn’t just a game; it was a heavyweight prize fight.

New York improves to a scorching 22-9, winning nine of their last eleven. Meanwhile, down in the ATL, the panic button is officially being smashed. The Hawks (15-18) just wrapped up a nightmare 0-5 homestand, dropping their sixth straight game. Yikes.

The KAT & Brunson Show: 70 Points Combined!

Let’s talk about the two-headed monster eating the NBA alive right now. Karl-Anthony Towns went full beast mode, dropping a season-high 36 points and 16 rebounds. KAT was living at the charity stripe, draining 17 of 18 free throws. You simply cannot stop that.

Then there’s Jalen Brunson, who casually poured in 34 points. Together, they combined for 70 of the Knicks’ 128 points. That is pure dominance. The Knicks were shorthanded without Josh Hart and Deuce McBride (ankle sprains), forcing rookie Mohamed Diawara into the starting lineup, but with stars shining this bright, the depth issues didn’t matter.

Trae Young Struggles & The Clutch Factor

While Onyeka Okongwu had a career night for Atlanta (31 points, 14 boards) trying to fill the void left by Kristaps Porzingis, the spotlight was on Trae Young for the wrong reasons. Returning from that gnarly MCL sprain, ‘Ice Trae’ looked frozen solid.

Young finished with just 9 points and 10 assists on the second night of a back-to-back. The turning point? A sloppy pass from Young in the clutch was picked off by OG Anunoby. OG didn’t just play defense; he dropped a double-double (15 pts, 10 reb) and iced the game with four massive free throws in the final seconds.

The Board Battle

Here is the stat that tells the whole story: Rebounding. The Knicks bullied the Hawks on the glass, winning the rebound battle 56-38. When you get crushed on the boards like that, you usually lose, even if Nickeil Alexander-Walker (25 points) tries to play hero ball off the bench.

What’s Next?

No rest for the weary. Both squads are back at it on Monday, Dec. 29. The Knicks head to the Big Easy to face the Pelicans, while Trae Young heads home to OKC to face the Thunder. He better find his shot by then, or it’s going to be a long flight back.