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“Michael Jordan and Trae Young are both certified Knicks killers”: Hawks star joins Bulls legend and the GOAT as the only players to score 30 points against NY Knicks at Madison Square Garden

David Andrew
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"Michael Jordan and Trae Young are both certified Knicks killers": Hawks star joins Bulls legend and the GOAT as the only players to score 30 points against NY Knicks at Madison Square Garden

Trae Young is now being likened to Michael Jordan post his scintillating performance in the first round of the playoffs.

Ever since his debut in the NBA, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has left no doubt in anyone’s mind regarding his exceptional scoring capabilities and talent.  

However, his dominant run in the first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks has proven that the 22-year-old phenom is also not one to be intimidated.

If anything, one could argue that the rising star feeds off the energy in a hostile environment further levelling his game up to silence any naysayers in the stands.

In a season unfortunately marred with many instances of fans across the league engaging in unruly acts of aggression towards players on visiting teams, Trae was the subject of a rather appalling act when a New York Knicks fan decided to spit on him at the end of the game 2 at MSG. 

Also Read: “Trae Young is a Knicks villain for life”

Trae Young is now the second visiting player after Michael Jordan to record 3 straight 30 points games at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs 

This statistic only adds to the young gun’s reputation of being one of the most tenacious and driven ballplayers in the league. Some might even claim to see a few similarities between Trae and the G.O.A.T Michael Jordan.

Granted, it might be a little too early to be making such blasphemous comparisons. But the Hawks guard has time and again displayed an ability to not only get under the skin of his opponents but their entire city as well. 

Ever since the beginning of the first round of the playoffs, Trae has been a bonafide villain in the eyes of the New York Knicks and their fandom. This is best exemplified by the Mayor of New York publicly calling him out to “stop hunting for fouls”.  

Also Read: “Luka Doncic is the most valuable commodity in the NBA”: Max Kellerman puts Mavs superstar over the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant following Game 5 win vs Clippers

While fan behaviour and the proper actions to deal with this recurring situation might be a topic to be discussed later, it is important to recognize and appreciate Young’s mindset.

None of these attempts at derailing his confidence or vigour seemed to work. The Atlanta Hawks went on to annihilate the Knicks in the series leading 4-1 and securing a spot for themselves in the second round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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