Field Level Media
Dec 17, 2019
Rookie RJ Barrett scored a season-high 27 points while Marcus Morris and Mitchell Robinson added 22 apiece for the New York Knicks, who routed the visiting Atlanta Hawks 143-120 on Tuesday night.
Julius Randle added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who shot 55.8 percent from the floor, the first time they reached 50 percent this season. Kevin Knox II scored a season-high 17 points, Bobby Portis added 11 points, and Robinson pulled down 13 rebounds to go along with his career-high point total.
Atlanta star Trae Young led all scorers with 42 points, his third 40-point game this season. Young's big game was hardly enough as the Hawks dropped their fifth straight contest, fell to 2-16 in their past 18 games and allowed at least 140 points for the third time.
Rookie De'Andre Hunter added 19 points for Atlanta, which shot 45.5 percent from the floor.
Vince Carter added 15 for the Hawks in his final game at Madison Square Garden and received a loud ovation when he checked out with 45.1 seconds left.
New York led for the final 42:52, produced its highest scoring quarter of the season with a 41-point first quarter and its most points in a half (77) since getting 78 in the first half against the Toronto Raptors on April 5, 2011.
The Knicks also reached 109 points through three quarters, their most points entering the fourth quarter since getting 116 against the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 29, 2008.
New York scored at least 140 points in a regulation game for the first time since Dec. 20, 1988, against the Indiana Pacers.
The Knicks ripped off 21 straight points in a span of 3:57 bridging the end of the first quarter and the start of the second. That run pushed a one-point lead to 49-27 on two free throws by Robinson with 10:26 remaining in the half.
The Knicks continued to dominate and ended the first half by outscoring Atlanta 17-6 over the last 4:51. New York took a 77-53 lead into halftime when Dennis Smith Jr. hit a fadeaway with 1.9 seconds left.
New York took its first 30-point lead on a three-point play by Barrett with 10:22 left in the third that made it 84-53 and carried a 109-84 edge into the fourth.
--Field Level Media