Atlanta (USA), May 30 (EFE) .- The Atlanta Hawks prevailed with solvency this Sunday by 113-96 and chained the third straight victory over the New York Knicks in the fourth game of the first round tie of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
With efficient guidance from point guard Trae Young the Hawks were one win away from the semifinals.
The goal could be reached this Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
Young scored 27 points, including four 3-for-14 attempts, and dished out nine assists. Power forward John Collins had another 22, while another tall man, Italian number four Danilo Gallinari, finished with 21 points.
Swiss center Clint Capela had 10 points and 15 rebounds, including 12 that were defensive.
Clint Capela reached double figures in rebounding (15) for the fourth straight time in the series and the 30th time in his postseason career.
The Hawks dominated the inside game with 48 rebounds to the Knicks’ 39, who kept pace with the game during the first half, but could not prevent the Atlanta team from taking off in the second.
Atlanta took control in the third quarter and extended a four-point lead at the half for an 88-71 lead in the final period.
After struggling to get his shots right, Atlanta found his inspiration. The Hawks were 10 of 19 on the period, including 5 of 9 from 3-point attempts.
Young scored nine points, Collins added seven and Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who finished the game with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists, closed the third with a triple that put fans who came to the field to witness the game on their feet. .
Knicks power forward Julius Randle was serenaded again with chants of “Overrated! Overrated! Overrated!” every time he had the ball.
The roars were deafening after a sequence in the third when Randle missed a penetration by missing the ball and then losing it to the Knicks.
Randle’s frustration boiled over less than a minute later when he knocked Collins to the ground while trying to hit the court on another drive. Nothing was called initially, but Randle was charged with an offensive foul after a video review prompted by a challenge from Hawks coach Nate McMillan.
Collins was hit in the face, forcing him to go to the locker room to have a suture done. He was able to return to the game in the fourth quarter.
By then, the result was already decided in favor of the Hawks who had the greatest dominance during the series by confusing with their actions to the defense of the Knicks that nothing could be done to prevent the shots from the Atlanta players.
Young led the way, as usual, but had a lot of help. Six players got double-digit numbers and six also scored from outside the perimeter.
Despite the control problems, Randle finished as the leader of the Knicks attack with 23 points, but he made only 7 of 19 shots from the field and always had more than two Hawks players on him when he received the ball.
Canadian guard-forward RJ Barrett finished as the Knicks’ second leading scorer with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and recovered two balls.
Veteran point guard Derrick Rose, making his second straight start for the Knicks, got off to another strong start, but he wasn’t a huge factor the rest of the way as he finished the game with 18 points, including two 3s, and six assists.
Two other players, who came out of reserve, also achieved double-digit numbers with the Knicks, but could do nothing against a Hawks who have become one of the most difficult teams to win when they play on their field at State Farm Arena, where They are 21-2 in the last 23 games played.
The Knicks who had a great advantage in free throws in the third game, with 27 points of 30 attempts, by 5 of 8 of the Hawks, in the fourth the calls of the referees were in favor of Atlanta with 26 points of 28 shots per 19 of 23 that New York had.
(c) EFE Agency