Ghost of Trae Young looms over Knicks’ testy playoff matchup with Hawks

This would all be a lot more interesting if the Hawks hadn’t rid themselves of Trae Young back at the trade deadline, of course, if they hadn’t exiled him to Washington, D.C., which has been pro basketball purgatory, seemingly, since Calvin Coolidge sat courtside.

That removed from the roster the one Atlanta player who has ever made anything resembling a lasting impact on the consciousness of Knicks fans.

(Apologies to Dominique. Apologies to Pistol Pete. Apologies to Bob Pettit.)

The Hawks and the Knicks spent the first 75 or so years of their shared existence in the NBA more or less blissfully ignoring each other. The Hawks have, at various times, called Atlanta, St. Louis and Milwaukee home, and in their first two years shuffled between Davenport, Iowa, Moline, Ill., and Rock Island, Ill.