Count Bill de Blasio among the New Yorkers who can’t guard Trae Young. Or at least one in whose head the Hawks point guard clearly resides.
Young was mentioned in an official announcement from the mayor on Tuesday after the Hawks defeated the Knicks, 107-105, in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Young finished with 32 points, including the game-winning basket with 0.9 seconds remaining, at Madison Square Garden Sunday.
De Blasio, wearing a Knicks hat, had this to say at a press conference in a 35-second rant:
“This is about basketball. I have an important official announcement. This is a very serious one. I want to get this out. Message to Trae Young on behalf of the people of New York City and anyone who cares about actually playing basketball the right way, stop hunting for fouls, Trae. I want to quote Steve Nash, great player, great coach, he said quote, unquote that’s not basketball. Trae, Trae, that Hawk’s not going to fly in New York City. C’mon, play the game the right way. See if you can win. I think the Knicks are going to teach you a lesson.”
De Blasio may have been referring to a play when a dribbling Young slowed and was fouled from behind.
Of note, Young had zero free-throw attempts through the first three quarters. He made all nine of his attempts in the decisive fourth quarter. The Hawks attempted 12 free throws while the Knicks attempted 15. Knicks reserve Alec Burks had eight free-throw attempts, one less than Young.
New York fans hurled vulgarities at Young before and during Game 1 and were quieted by his game-winner.
As the mayor of Brookhaven, where the Hawks practice facility in located, John Ernst had some advice of his own for de Blasio.
“The fact of the matter is, they are big, bad New York, the big, bad Goliath,” Ernst said. “I’d rather take Trae as David because we know how that story ends.”
With the Hawks up 1-0 in the best-of-seven series, Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.
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