Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder highlighted his team’s defensive effort after Friday’s 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “I think just playing the style of play that fits us… we’ve got to defend,” Snyder said, noting that rebounding and transition opportunities fueled their offense.
Snyder emphasized the importance of staying disciplined in the fourth quarter. “We didn’t panic… when the game slows down or a team is cutting into a lead, there’s a sense that you have to play slow, and for us, we kept the pedal down,” he explained.
Key stops late in the game were decisive. “It was key stops. We made too many mistakes giving up threes where we overhelped… we didn’t foul, which I think was a big thing,” he said, praising the team’s ability to contain Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby.
Ball movement was another critical factor. “When we weren’t moving the ball and got stagnant, that’s when they made the run. When we get out in transition, those passes become very clear,” Snyder noted, adding that sharing the basketball helped generate open shots.
Snyder also addressed physicality and its effect on offense. “We have to learn to play through physicality… we allowed them to be physical with us and kind of knocked us back offensively,” he said, highlighting the link between efficient offense and defensive stops.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds for his seventh triple-double of the season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 23 points, and Onyeka Okongwu contributed 22 as the Hawks extended their winning streak to two games following a seven-game skid.
Atlanta controlled the tempo despite missing Trae Young, shooting 48% overall and 60% from the free-throw line while dominating the boards with 49 rebounds. Luke Kennard and Zaccharie Risacher added 12 points each, supporting a balanced attack that kept New York under 100 points for the first time this season.
Snyder credited his team’s preparation and execution. “We talked at halftime about playing with the lead… it’s really about how we respond to runs,” he said, underlining the Hawks’ ability to manage pressure on the road.
The Hawks improve to 17-19 and will visit Toronto on Saturday, while the Knicks fall to 23-11 and host Philadelphia later in the day. Snyder’s comments reflect a team finding rhythm through defense, passing, and composure under pressure.
