Knicks’ Brunson won’t expend ‘false energy’ getting upset over Trae Young’s celebration | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors
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Knicks’ Brunson won’t expend ‘false energy’ getting upset over Trae Young’s celebration | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2024 in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is agreeing to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Jalen Brunson admitted that Trae Young’s Las Vegas-themed celebration after the Atlanta Hawks’ win over the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup bothered him, but said he doesn’t plan on letting it drain his energy as he concentrate on the coming season.

“Do I have a problem with that? Yes, but he won, they won,” Brunson said via The New York Post Zach Braziller. “So why invest fake and fake energy into doing something like that when you could have done that to try to win the game? That’s just my opinion on it.”

The Hawks knocked the Knicks out of the NBA Cup on Wednesday with a 108-100 win in the quarterfinals behind Young’s 22 points and 11 assists. The win punched Atlanta’s ticket to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, which explains why Young mimicked rolling the dice at midcourt at the end of the game.

After the loss, Brunson said there was an easy way to avoid having to watch celebrations like Young’s.

“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do that,” he said.

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Jalen Brunson was asked about Trae Young rolling on the Knicks logo while dribbling the clock:
“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do that” pic.twitter.com/hShFpY1L19

Although the loss ended the Knicks’ hopes of competing for the NBA Cup and $500,000 in prize money, New York had a slightly better season overall than Atlanta, going 15-10 on the year compared to the Hawks, who are 14-12.

Since their 2021 playoff meeting, the Knicks and Hawks have developed something of a rivalry thanks to things like Young’s celebration on Wednesday. The loss to Atlanta in a crucial NBA Cup game increases the bitterness between the two fan bases and should make for a tense matchup when the two teams next meet in January.

The Hawks have controlled the season so far, winning the first two meetings this year, but the Knicks will get three more chances to beat Atlanta this year.

New York will certainly remember how it went last time the next time they play the Hawks.

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