ATLANTA — As the Knicks prepared Wednesday morning for their meeting with the Hawks that night, they got a visit from Bernard King, one of the greatest scorers in franchise history.
And maybe some part of his message led to what was to follow as one game after putting together a disjointed offensive effort the Knicks managed to hang on for a 112-107 win. Or maybe, more likely, it was the return of Tim Hardaway Jr. to the lineup or a chance to face a porous Hawks defense that accounted for the step forward.
Hardaway, who sat out Monday’s double overtime loss to the Bulls with lower back pain, returned to the starting lineup Wednesday and poured in 15 of his 34 points in the third quarter as the Knicks turned a three-point halftime deficit into a 14-point lead.