Trae Young explains his controversial roll dice on Knicks logo

After the game, Young explained the inspiration behind his celebration.

"I planned that one with my little brother a few days ago," Young told reporters. "We had talked about that and I knew what I was going to do. We were going to Vegas, so that's what I had to do."

Young's disrespectful act triggered outrage on social media, with many analysts and fans blaming Knicks players for not confronting the Hawks guard. Knicks star Jalen Brunson said he and his teammates had only themselves to blame for Young's celebration.

"We should win the game if we don't want him to do that," Brunson said of Young's celebration.

Brunson's comments were criticized by Knicks analyst Jeff Johnson, who questioned the mental makeup of the Tom Thibodeau-led team.

Young's celebration was an insult to injury for Knicks fans after the team blew a 12-point lead in the second half. In the third quarter, Young scored eight straight points, including back-to-back threes to flip the game on its head and give Atlanta its first lead. Ultimately, the Hawks outscored the Knicks 61-46 over the final two quarters.

The Knicks were also outhustled and outworked on the glass, with the Hawks grabbing a whopping 22 offensive rebounds, including 14 in the second half. One particular sequence in the fourth quarter saw the Hawks grab four consecutive offensive boards, leading to an Onyeka Okongwu layup. 

Young's latest diss at New York fans brings back memories of the 2021 playoffs when he took a bow at the center of the court and waved goodbye to the Madison Square Garden crowd. The point guard is starting to garner the reputation of past Knicks villains such as Reggie Miller and Alonzo Mourning, who routinely antagonized the crowds during their visits to the Garden. 

Young will return to New York for two more regular-season games on Jan. 20 and Feb. 12.