Knicks vs. Hawks: 3 Major takeaways from Game 2
By Avishai Sol
Big win last night!
It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t always fun, but the Knicks have won their first playoff game since May 6th of 2013. Wednesday night’s game showed us why this iteration of the Knicks is so loved both within the city and beyond. They’re fighters, they’re gritty, they’re a little nasty, and they will never ever say die.
Randle finally found his stride in the 4th quarter, Rose was deadly all game long, and the rest of the squad really buckled down defensively in the second half. I repeat, this was not an overpowering performance, but this isn’t an overpowering team either. The 2020-21 Knicks are the scrappy underdog, and if they’re going to knock off an offensive virus-like Trae Young, they’re doing to have to do it with their teeth bared.
You have earned the right to celebrate New York, but don’t get ahead of yourselves. This series is far from over and the Knicks played nowhere near a perfect game. So what worked and what didn’t? What can we take away from this game as a team to help earn another victory in Game 3? What strategies can be tweaked, and which relied upon to prevail again?
Here are some things to keep in mind as we simultaneously toast the Knicks victory and plan for the war to come…