Behind Jalen Brunson’s 34 points, New York left the MLK Day matinee at MSG with a 119-110 win that was ugly, physical and filled with complaining to the referees but nonetheless satisfactory after

The 26-year-old Trae Young only added to the venom — which he has called “a love-hate relationship — earlier this season when he mockingly imitated rolling a pair of dice on the Knicks’ midcourt

New York Knicks shooting guard Josh Hart had an interesting answer to a question about Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young.

The Knicks withstood a strong start from old enemy Trae Young, overcoming an early deficit to earn a 119-110 victory over his Atlanta Hawks amidst celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day. With the win, New York took down Atlanta for the first time in three tries this season and ended the Hawks' three-game winning streak.

It happened early. Trae Young was being guarded by Mikal Bridges - one of the best defenders on the New York Knicks. During this particular play, Young struggled to find a hole in Bridges' defense resulting in an early shock-clock violation.

You could say Young ran out of luck Monday in the Knicks' 119-110 victory over the Hawks at Madison Square Garden. But it’s more accurate to say that he ran into Mikal Bridges and a defense that was determined to keep the Atlanta guard from playing the villain role he so frequently has played at the Garden.

Despite the loss, Trae Young finished with 27 points, three rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block while shooting 8/22 from the field and 6/12 from the three-point range in 35 minutes. The former Oklahoma star also made NBA history.

Trae Young returned to Madison Square Garden on Monday and Knicks fans gave the Hawks star his usual greeting.

Young finished with a team-high 27 points but shot an inefficient 8-of-22 from the field. He turned the ball over nine times to just six assists, his decision-making troubles exacerbated under the pressure Bridges applied from the opening tip.

The Knicks are staying focused on the task at hand, refusing to feed into Trae Young’s theatrics — antics that have made him a polarizing figure at Madison Square Garden. Young’s most recent

Star center Karl-Anthony Towns has a sprain in his right thumb, which could keep him out of the prestigious NBA event. Towns scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the Knicks' 108-100 loss to the Hawks on Dec. 8. Without Towns, the Knicks lack the size and versatility necessary to combat the Hawks' athletic weapons.

After a great win on Saturday night vs the Boston Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks will wrap up their short three-game road trip on Monday with a big game against the