UNC Basketball: Reggie Bullock’s strong game helps Knicks top Hawks

Former UNC basketball standout Reggie Bullock scores 15 points, helps Knicks top Hawks to tie series at one game a piece.

New York Knicks shooting guard Reggie Bullock scored 15 points on Wednesday night in a 101-92 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden to tie the Eastern Conference first round series a one game a piece.

It was a nice turnaround for Bullock, who struggled through a 3-for-9 shooting performance (0-for-5 from three-point range) on Sunday that yielded just six points and three rebounds in 19 minutes of play. It was a completely different story in Game 2, as the former Tar Heel hit 5-of-8 shots for the game and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds, one assist and one steal, and turned the ball over just once despite logging 31 minutes of game time.

Bullock was back in double-digits in the scoring column for the third time in four games, and the 18th time in his last 21. His four three-pointers led all Knicks on Wednesday night, and tied Atlanta’s Trae Young for tops in the game.

The Knicks went into halftime with a 57-44 deficit, but outscored the Hawks 57-35 in the second half thanks to Bullock’s 15, Julius Randle’s 15 and a team-high 26 from reserve point guard Derrick Rose. Bullock tied the game at 72 points a piece with a deep three-pointer late in the third quarter that sent the New York crowd into a frenzy. Another Bullock three-pointer late in the fourth quarter put the Knicks up by five points, and from there they never looked back.

Bullock and the Knicks now prepare for a pivotal Game 3 matchup with the Hawks on Friday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.