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

Come on out, Knicks fans! Today, Tyler Kolek, owner of a newly opened barbecue chicken truck on the Las Vegas Strip, will face a southern fowl when New York (2-2) takes on the Atlanta Hawks (0-4). In their final games of the Summer League, the two teams will play the second game of back-to-backs.

The Knicks come into this game on a two-game winning streak, both games decided by a single point. Yesterday against Detroit, New York jumped out to a 20-point lead in the second half before squandering most of its advantage. Tyler Kolek sealed the previous win (against Sacramento) with a late And-1, and he sealed yesterday’s win with two free throws and two last-minute baskets.

Other players who stood out yesterday included backup center Dmytro Skapinstev, who led the Knicks with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds; and starting center Ariel Hukporti, who had 11 points, eight rebounds and a block.

The Hawks, meanwhile, struggled to get going on the hot streets of Las Vegas. They showed some offensive promise in their last game against the Chicago Bulls, scoring 109 points, but still lost 113-109. Keaton Wallace (who looks like a 1940s movie star) had a big performance for Atlanta in the loss. He had 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 Summer League (at least not consistently), and the Hawks are capable of running up the score. Today’s game should be a good defensive test for Kolek, Rokas Jokubaitis, and the team. The game could come down to which team is more ready to go home…and it won’t be New York! Prediction: Duane Washington, Jr. scores 20 points, Skapinstev wreaks havoc and blocks, and Kolek cooks the birds to a +5 tune.

Game Details

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