SL Game Preview: Summer Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks, July 20, 2024

Bring your appetites, Knicks fans! Today, Tyler Kolek, proprietor of a newly opened barbecued chicken truck on the Vegas strip, squares off against some southern poultry when the New York (2-2) takes on the Atlanta Hawks (0-4). In their last games of Summer League basketball, both teams will be playing the second of a back-to-back.

The Knicks come into this game on a two-game winning streak, with both contests decided by a single point. Yesterday, against Detroit, New York went up by 20 points in the second half before squandering almost all of their lead. Tyler Kolek secured the previous win (against Sacramento) with end-of-game And-1, and he locked up yesterday’s win with two free throws and two last-minute hoops.

Other standouts yesterday included reserve center Dmytro Skapinstev, who led the Knicks with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds; and starting center, Ariel Hukporti, who tallied up 11 points, eight rebounds, and a block.

The Hawks, on the other hand, have been struggling mess on the sizzling streets of Vegas. They showed some offensive promise in their last game against the Chicago Bulls, scoring 109 points, but nonetheless lost 113-109. Keaton Wallace (who sounds like a 40’s movie star) had a strong performance for Atlanta in defeat. He totaled 22 points, seven assists, and three rebounds, while Dylan Windler contributed 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

The Knicks haven’t been dominant in the Summer League (at least, not consistently so), and the Hawks are capable of running up the score. Today’s match should be a good defensive test for Kolek, Rokas Jokubaitis, and the crew. The game could come down to which team is most ready to go home. . . . and it won’t be New York! Prediction: Duane Washington, Jr. piles on another 20, Skapinstev rocks and blocks, and Kolek cooks the birds to a tune of +5.

Game Details

Who: New York Knicks (2-2) vs Atlanta Hawks (0-4)
When: Sunday, July 20, 2024, at 6 PM ET
Where: The Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada
Watch: ESPN
Follow: @ptknicksblog