Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks was essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of things. The New York Knicks were all but eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago. My brain knows this. I can do the math. However, the game was on TNT, and the media delighted in hyping this one as “Trae Young with another chance to eliminate the Knicks at MSG.” It was a cynical ploy to get casual fans to watch a contest between the 10th and 12th-place teams in the Eastern Conference.
And by the end, I bought it hook, line, and sinker.