The Atlanta Hawks captured the imagination of their success-starved fanbase during their magical 2021 postseason run. That was when Trae Young and the rest of the nascent Hawks score appeared to be making the leap. Their ascent was especially apparent during their exciting playoff series against the New York Knicks, which created a bit of animosity between the two franchises after the passionate Knicks crowd hurled expletive after expletive towards Young.
In fact, the Hawks' 2021 playoff run has bought them so much goodwill that to this day still affects how some perceive the team. In particular, Hawks legend and current color commentator Dominique Wilkins even went as far as to say that the Hawks loom as the Knicks' kryptonite.
“Sometimes you have certain teams that you have their number. I think the Atlanta Hawks have their number,” Wilkins said prior to the Hawks and Knicks' Wednesday night battle at State Farm Arena.
"Sometimes you have certain teams that you have their number. I think the Atlanta Hawks have their number"
–– Dominique Wilkins on the Knickspic.twitter.com/VuB2K1sA8J
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 16, 2023
Heading into the night, the Hawks led the season series against the Knicks, 2-1. In that vein, Dominique Wilkins is correct. In addition, entering the night, the Hawks franchise has won 200 out of its 387 matchups against the Knicks over the course of NBA history. So Wilkins, perhaps, makes another good point.
But the Knicks clearly played like a team with something to prove on Wednesday night. Built off a strong first quarter performance in which they had built a 16-point lead already, the Knicks blew out the Hawks, 122-101, in a game that didn't feel particularly close. So much for the Hawks having their number.
Trae Young may have terrorized the Knicks faithful during the 2021 postseason, and for good reason. Young drove dagger after dagger as the Knicks' magical 2021 season fell right before Knicks fans' eyes. But the regular season is a different story.
Since entering the league in 2018, Young has now gone just 5-12 against New York (with Atlanta having gone 5-13 overall) – not the record of someone who apparently has an opposing team's number.
Of course, as a Hawks legend, Dominique Wilkins is well within his rights to support the team he loves. But at least for one night, he may have to eat some Knicks-flavored crow.
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