Knicks drop 2nd in a row with 121-116 loss to Hawks

Death, taxes, and the last crippled of a agelong roadworthy trip.

The Knicks concluded their four-game, eight-day plaything with a travel to Atlanta to look the Hawks, and aft winning successful Miami and Detroit, then losing successful Houston, the Knicks recovered themselves successful a dogfight connected Wednesday.

And aft a peculiarly disappointing nonaccomplishment successful H-Town, courtesy of a carnal Rockets defence that deployed Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to unit Jalen Brunson astatine the constituent of attack, the Knicks got a 2nd dose of the aforesaid medicine earlier heading home: Hawks defender Dyson Daniels, acquired arsenic portion of the Dejounte Murray commercialized with the New Orleans Pelicans, a hard-nosed, 6-7 defender known little for his discourtesy and much for utilizing his length, athleticism and tenacity arsenic a hound connected defense.

It worked, and opposing defenses — peculiarly however they attack guarding Brunson aft an all-world scoring play for the Knicks past twelvemonth — continues to beryllium a taxable for the new-look Knicks, who dropped their 2nd successful a enactment with a 121-116 nonaccomplishment astatine the State Farm Arena.

The Knicks divided their four-game roadworthy trip, 2-2, and volition instrumentality to Madison Square Garden to look the Milwaukee Bucks connected Friday.

And portion the Knicks discourtesy has been infused with caller beingness done their brace of offseason trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, the squad volition spell arsenic their skipper goes.

Brunson finished with 21 points connected 8-of-18 shooting from the tract to spell with 4 assists successful 37 minutes of action. Faced with acquainted antiaircraft pressure, helium got disconnected the shot much often than not, speechmaking and reacting to the opposing antiaircraft strategy and accepting what the defence gave him.

The Knicks skipper is not going to unit thing that isn’t there, and alternatively funneled the discourtesy done a much favorable matchup: Towns, who exploited Hawks halfway Clint Capela to the tune of 34 points and 16 rebounds, including 5-of-9 shooting from downtown.

The different Knicks starters were the beneficiary of a much diplomatic captain, whose willingness to enactment the shot astir resulted successful each 5 starters logging double-digit scoring: Bridges scored conscionable 10 points connected 4-of-10 shooting from the field; Josh Hart added 14 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists; and OG Anunoby scored 15 points and deed 3 3s.

Even Miles McBride, who changeable 0-of-9 from the tract and 0-of-5 from downtown successful Houston against the Rockets, came live for 16 points and 7 assists disconnected the seat against the Hawks.

The diplomacy, however, failed successful the last seconds of regulation, erstwhile the Knicks trailed 1 with the shot successful Brunson’s hands, and alternatively of making a play to score, helium dished the shot to Towns — the night’s hot-shooting manus — who forced a country 3 that missed and led to a modulation bucket that enactment the Hawks up, 114-111, with 47 seconds left.

And connected the pursuing possession, retired of a timeout, Brunson forced up a contested 3 that didn’t fall. The Hawks made a escaped propulsion connected the different extremity to marque it a four-point game.

Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher scored some a game- and season-high with 33 points connected 11-of-18 shooting from the field, and Hawks prima Trae Young changeable poorly from the tract for 23 points connected 21 changeable attempts but tallied 10 assists connected the night. Jalen Johnson double-doubled with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists for the Hawks, who precocious to a 4-5 grounds arsenic the Knicks fell to 3-4 connected Wednesday.

And if the Knicks are going to hole their issues, they commencement successful portion with Brunson, but besides autumn to a defence that gave up much than 60 points successful the overgarment successful Houston, past 58 much to the Hawks connected Wednesday.