ATLANTA — The Knicks are welcoming Jalen Brunson back on a high.
On what was likely the final day of Brunson’s long injury absence, the Knicks embarrassed the Hawks in Hotlanta 121-105 behind scorching 3-point shooting Saturday in Hotlanta.
The butt-whooping was administered early and often by the Knicks, who led by double digits in the first quarter and as many as 28 in the opening half.
The Knicks knocked down 15 treys on 29 attempts, getting two conversions apiece from the five starters. They hit 13 of their first 18 3-pointers, deflating the Hawks.
“Just all-around solid on both ends,” coach Tom Thibodeau said.
Karl-Anthony Towns led all scorers with 30 points and 11 rebounds.
OG Anunoby continued his exquisite play with 24 points in 35 minutes.
Josh Hart fell one rebound short of a triple-double with 16 points and 11 assists, then was irked about being pulled in the final minute and darted to the locker room.
Hart later owned up to the frustration, saying: “I wasn’t playing the right way” while chasing the final rebound.
Minus Hart’s triple-double drama and — as is often the case involving Knicks blowouts — the question of when Thibodeau would empty his bench, the fourth quarter was just a breeze to the final buzzer.
“We did a good job of being aggressive on the basketball,” Towns said. “And our defense translates to our offense. So obviously hitting 3s helps tremendously. And we shot really well. So just doing a good job of executing.”
Trae Young, the enemy at MSG who taunted the Knicks early this season with a dice-roll celebration on the logo at center court, had just 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
Despite his reputation as a Knicks killer, Young fell to 7-17 all time in the regular season against New York.
over the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
The Hawks (36-41), residing in the thick of the play-in race, should’ve been motivated but were nonetheless shellacked.
“That’s the physicality of their defense,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said of the Knicks. “That’s how they’re built right now. It impacted us. We did respond at certain points, but that response has to be more consistent across the board.”
The Knicks (49-28) are still firmly in the third position in the East.
Even if No. 4 Indiana wins out, the Knicks will clinch No. 3 with two victories in their final five games.
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The Knicks also will have their captain back for most of them.
Brunson, who missed 15 straight games, is scheduled to return from his ankle sprain Sunday night against the Suns, the first time he’ll play in a month.
With Anunoby exploding into the best basketball of his career, the Knicks went a very respectable 9-6 without Brunson — though they only beat one team above .500, the Bucks.
Miles McBride is also expected to return shortly after a lengthy absence because of a groin injury.
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“I know any team would be very much improved with Deuce McBride and Jalen Brunson,” Towns said. “We’re going to do everything we can because the goal was that we’re farther along when we’re back to integrating them back — that we give him a better team than where they left it.”
Cam Payne returned from his own ankle sprain and struggled off the bench with two points 1-of-5 shooting, knocking rookie Tyler Kolek out of the rotation.
Delon Wright started his fifth consecutive game at point guard and had 10 points in 29 minutes.
Anunoby and Mikal Bridges picked up the production lately, but will have to deal with the reality of having the ball in their hands less with Brunson on the court.
Still, Thibodeau pushed back hard at the idea that Brunson’s return will mean Anunoby — or anybody — should take issue with a lesser role.
“The notion of all that stuff, it’s white noise,” Thibodeau said. “The game tells you what to do. Whose shot is it in transition? The open man. And if there’s two on somebody, whose shot is it? You have the responsibility as a primary scorer to make the right play. The notion that it has to be this way, that way, there has to be a willingness to sacrifice by everybody. The team has to come first. What’s best for our team? What gives the team the best chance to win?
“And that’s all anyone should be thinking about. They shouldn’t be thinking about who’s doing this, who’s doing that. That’s not the way this game works. If you care about winning, that stuff shouldn’t matter.”
