Hawks Guard Rolls Out Vegas-Style Celebration in NBA Cup Win Over Knicks

Trae Young pretended to roll dice at midcourt as time ran out, showing the Knicks he’s ready for Atlanta’s trip to the semifinals in Las Vegas.

The Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young drives past the New York Knicks' Josh Hart during the first half of an NBA Cup game on Dec. 11 in New York. Frank Franklin II/AP Photo

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young had Las Vegas on his mind as his team closed out a victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 11.

The Hawks star bent at midcourt and pretended to roll dice as the final seconds ticked away in a 108–100 win over the Knicks (15-10). Atlanta (14-12) advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals with the victory, so the Hawks will head to Las Vegas for the final stretch of the early-season tournament.

“I rolled an eight, picked it up, rolled it again, picked up the money and we left,” Young told reporters afterward. “We’re going to Vegas.”

That marked Young’s second act of ousting the Knicks from a tournament in four years. Young and the Hawks knocked out the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, and he took a bow and waved farewell to the fans at the Garden that time around.

Young, who had a double double with 22 points and 11 assists, planned this celebration. Atlanta advanced from the NBA Cup group stage on Nov. 29 with a 117–101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (21–4), so he had time to think it over after the Knicks finished group play 4-0 on Dec. 3 to set up Wednesday’s quarterfinal game.

“I planned that one with my little brother a few days ago,” Young said. “We had talked about that, and I mean, I knew what I was going to do.”

Young did his job on the court when needed most. He hit back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter, which gave the Hawks a 68-66 lead after trailing most of the way at that point.

Atlanta never relinquished the lead as the visitors outscored the Knicks 34-18 in the third quarter. The Hawks defense then limited the Knicks to only three baskets from beyond the three-point stripe in the final quarter.

New York and Atlanta could meet in the playoffs, depending on how seeding falls next spring. Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson, who was with the Dallas Mavericks in 2021, said he doesn’t want to see another Young celebration but respected his rival’s decision to do it.

“We should win the game if we don’t want him to do that,” Brunson told reporters afterward.

Atlanta will face the Milwaukee Bucks (13–11)  in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Milwaukee advanced on Tuesday with a 114–109 win over the Orlando Magic (17–10).

The Houston Rockets (17-8) and Oklahoma City Thunder (19-5) will meet in the other semifinal that day at 7:30 p.m. The semifinal winners will play for the NBA Cup on Dec. 17.