Trae Young got spit on, hit a game-winner, shushed Knicks fans then took a bow.
After an eventful playoff series in New York, Young and the Hawks will return to Madison Square Garden on Christmas.
The Nets will also visit the Lakers on the NBA’s premier regular-season date.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Plenty of discuss on The Jump at 3 PM ET today with unveiling of Christmas Day games, including, sources say: Trae Young and Atlanta Hawks returning to play the New York Knicks at MSG. Plus, battle of the East-West titans: The Brooklyn Nets vs. the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2021
The Nets and Lakers will almost certainly play in the featured timeslot. Between Los Angeles’ big three (LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook) and Brooklyn’s big three (Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving), the name recognition is through the roof.
Plus, the LeBron vs. Durant debate provides drama. So, does the Durant-Westbrook matchup.
Atlanta and New York have their own budding rivalry, too. The Knicks playing on Christmas is the norm. The Hawks, on the other hand, will play their first Dec. 25 game since 1989 -- ending the NBA’s longest Christmas-game drought, one decades longer than any other franchise.
Here’s how long each team has gone since its last Christmas game:
Neither Charlotte nor the Grizzlies have ever played a Christmas game. However, the Hawks have played more seasons since their last Christmas game than Charlotte and the Grizzlies.