The Atlanta Hawks have beaten the New York Knicks, 121-116, thanks to a career night from No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, who poured in 33 points and grabbed seven boards in a statement performance. Moreover, the rookie was sizzling from the field, shooting 11-18 while hitting 6-10 from deep. After the game, Hawks guard Trae Young trolled the Knicks fans in attendance at State Farm Arena, rekindling his personal rivalry with New York since they first met in the playoffs in 2021.

“I hope these New York fans find [their] way to the exit real quick… Take y'all ass home,” Young said in his postgame interview, via ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter.

The Hawks star is a savage

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is defended by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first half at State Farm Arena.
© Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Hawks are a team in transition, having traded Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans after realizing that pairing him with Trae Young was a mistake. Moreover, they also drafted a shooting big in an effort to surround Young with size, athleticism, defense, and shooting.

That's a tall list, but the Hawks now have Risacher along with rising star Jalen Johnson and De'Andre Hunter, plus defensive guard Dyson Daniels, though he shot only 3-16 in their victory over the Knicks.

Additionally, they've acquired Larry Nance Jr. to provide an athletic lob threat, in case the Hawks plan to trade Clint Capela for younger assets.

While the team has yet to put it all together, as they chug along to a 4-5 record, they have a nice core to build on, especially if they decide to trade Trae Young after all.

Earlier rumors had fallen though because Young's market was cold, though that may always change during the season, given where the Hawks are and whether they feel in good shape to make a playoff push.

Knicks struggling

Meanwhile, the (3-4) Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns experiment has yet to realize its full potential, though KAT scored 34 points on 23 shots in a game they gave away. The Knicks led by five points with three minutes left but couldn't close the game.

Still, the Knicks' star guard Jalen Brunson promised to give KAT more shots, which is a good thing since he might be the best player on the team, and the big man had indeed taken more than ten shots in the last four games since their loss to Cleveland.

Offensively, New York also had it going in their 128-98 drubbing of the Pistons, so perhaps all they need to do is find consistency as a group on offense and defense and put it all together not only against bad teams but also against playoff-caliber ones.

Still, Trae Young has shown why he's one of the more exciting players in the league, trolling the Knicks just a week after the Yankees choked the World Series. He certainly enjoys their animosity toward him, which started when the Hawks eliminated the Knicks from the 2021 playoffs in five games.