Knicks Move On From Trae Young as MSG Crowns New ‘Villain’ After Game 2 Collapse vs. Hawks

Knicks nation is leaning into its Gotham City persona once more. Going into the series against the Atlanta Hawks, one name still lived in the minds of New Yorkers rent-free. Thanks in part to NYC mayor, Zohran Mamdani, Trae Young was again fueling the competitive drive of an entire city even though he’s neither in New York nor in Atlanta. But two games into the series, the target of New York’s venom has shifted, and the new recipient is a veteran guard who seems to have inherited the “Villain” mantle by trade, literally.

Until the first half of Game 2 between the Hawks and Knicks, with New York holding a seven point lead, Trae Young was still the undisputed villain of the Big Apple. Madison Square Garden was filled with chants of “F— Trae Young” for most of the game.

It’s ironic of course because Young is now in Washington since the Hawks traded him to the Wizards. But since 2021, these chants have become a staple of the Garden when the Hawks come to play. However, on Monday night, during a nailbiter 107-106 Game 2 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Garden faithful officially turned the page.

In a scene that felt like a passing of the villainous torch, the MSG crowd replaced their usual anti-Trae vitriol with a deafening, unified chorus of “F— you, CJ.” CJ McCollum who was acquired by Atlanta in the blockbuster January trade that sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, reached a fever pitch after the veteran spent much of the game antagonizing the home crowd and clashing with every Knicks player.

Knicks fans have moved on from “fuck Trae Young” to “fuck you CJ” pic.twitter.com/iuBznRx6t4

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 21, 2026

New York’s hate for Trae was bordering on extreme until right this game. The exact moment Trae Young was erased from New York’s consciousness was in the third quarter. McCollum was nose-to-nose arguing with Knicks’ Jose Alvarado. Referees separated them before it escalated and slapped both of them with techs. That’s when the chants in the arena changed.

Ruthless on the court, but carrying himself with subtle swagger, McCollum is doing everything right to get under New York’s skin. “I’m not a villain, man, I’m just here to compete,” McCollum told reporters after silencing the Garden with a 32-point masterclass. He’s already shifted his focus to the next game when they play hosts.

“I compete at the highest level. We know it’s not a series until you get one on the road, and we got one. So now, it’s showtime when we get back to the crib.”

Despite the “villain” label being thrust upon him, McCollum’s play was undeniably heroic for Atlanta. And he’s making Ice Trae look prophetic.

Trae Young warned New York about CJ McCollum

The friction between the city and the Hawks organization reached a bizarre intersection of sports and local politics  before the series. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made headlines by jokingly blaming Trae Young for skyrocketing Knicks ticket prices, a nod to the 2021 playoff series that cemented Young as a local enemy. While Young is now in the Eastern Conference’s basement with the Wizards, he clapped back with a warning. 

“Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this. #Don’tBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” Young wrote on X. The last time in 2021, it was then incumbent Bill De Blasio whose comments on Trae spurred the Hawks to route out the Knicks. Even though Young is not there to personally respond on the court, McCollum is a fine proxy.

It actually began in Game 1 when his foot made contact with Jalen Brunson’s midsection during a jumper and the resulting tech cost him $2,000. Game 2, the Trae Young chants were still dominant. But CJ eventually pulled the spotlight on himself in the second half.

Although he missed two free throws that could’ve given the Hawks a three-point lead, he scored seven straight points in a frantic fourth-quarter comeback, including the go-ahead jumper with 33 seconds remaining. By the final minutes, he had quietened New York with anxiety-causing plays. While the crowd tried to rattle him, McCollum remained surgical, responding to the heckling with a shrug and a game-tying series.

Though the energy was far from friendly, McCollum was surprisingly in love with the crowd. “I love it. I love it. That’s why we play the game,” McCollum said. “It’s fun being in opposing arenas and when the buzzer sounds and it’s quiet and you walk off the court, I think there’s a level of mutual respect.”

Well, that ‘mutual respect’ is fueling a very exciting series between two rival franchises. As Game 3 moves south, it would be worth seeing Atlanta’s response to the Knicks.

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