Knicks’ Brunson won’t put ‘fake energy’ into being upset by Trae Young’s celebration | News, results, highlights, stats and rumours

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals on December 11, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Jalen Brunson admitted that Trae Young’s Las Vegas-themed celebration after the Atlanta Hawks’ win over the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup bothered him, but said he doesn’t plan to let it sap his energy as he focuses on the upcoming season .

“Do I have a problem with that? Yeah, but he won, they won,” Brunson said, per New York Post’s Zach Braziller. “So why put fake and fake energy into doing something like that when you could have done it to try and win the game. That’s just my point of view on it.”

The Hawks knocked the Knicks out of the NBA Cup with a 108-100 victory in the quarterfinals on Wednesday behind Young’s 22 points and 11 assists. The win clinched Atlanta’s ticket to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, which explains why Young mimed dice rolls at midcourt as the game ended.

After the loss, Brunson said there’s a simple way to avoid having to watch celebrations like Young’s.

“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do it,” he said.

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Jalen Brunson was asked about Trae Young rolling dice on the Knicks logo while dribbling out the clock:
“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do it” pic.twitter.com/hShFpY1L19

Although the loss ended the Knicks’ hopes of competing for the NBA Cup and the $500,000 prize, New York has had a slightly better overall season than Atlanta, going 15-10 on the year compared to the Hawks, who are 14-12.

Since their 2021 playoff meeting, the Knicks and Hawks have developed a bit of a rivalry thanks to things like Young’s celebration on Wednesday. Losing to Atlanta in a crucial NBA Cup game adds to the bitterness between the two fanbases and should make for an exciting matchup when the two teams next kick off in January.

The Hawks have dominated the season series thus far, winning the first two meetings this year, but the Knicks will get three more chances to take down Atlanta this year.

New York will surely remember how it went last time the next time it sees the Hawks.