Trae Young Drops Season-High 43 In Hawks’ Victory Over Suns
Trae Young’s season-high 43 points were not enough to keep the Phoenix Suns from a 132-100 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. The Suns led by 20 points after the first quarter and never looked back, shooting 56.5% from the field and holding the Hawks to 39.8% shooting.
Young’s Explosive Performance
Despite the loss, Young put on a show for the home crowd, hitting 15-of-28 from the field and 7-of-15 from three-point range. He also dished out 10 assists, marking his sixth double-double of the season.
Young’s performance was a continuation of his recent hot streak. In his last five games, he has averaged 30.6 points and 9.4 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field and 43.3% from three-point range.
Suns’ Dominance
The Suns were simply too much for the Hawks on this night. They got off to a hot start, shooting 64.7% from the field in the first quarter. They also held the Hawks to just 28.6% shooting in the first quarter.
Devin Booker led the way for the Suns with 25 points, while Mikal Bridges added 22 points and Chris Paul had 21 points and 10 assists. The Suns also got a big boost from their bench, which outscored the Hawks’ bench 42-20.
Implications for the Hawks
The loss drops the Hawks to 23-23 on the season and 14-9 at home. They are now 1.5 games behind the New York Knicks for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Hawks have struggled mightily of late, losing five of their last six games. They have also struggled to defend, allowing opponents to score at least 120 points in four of their last six games.
The Hawks will need to figure things out quickly if they want to make the playoffs. They have a tough schedule coming up, with games against the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers in their next five games.
Suns Continue to Roll
The Suns, meanwhile, continue to roll. They have won seven of their last eight games and are now 33-14 on the season. They are 3.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies for the top spot in the Western Conference.
The Suns have been one of the most impressive teams in the NBA this season. They have a great balance of offense and defense, and they have a lot of experience.
The Suns are looking like a legitimate contender to win the NBA championship this season.
Conclusion
The Suns were simply too much for the Hawks on this night. They got off to a hot start and never looked back. Young had a great game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Suns’ dominance.
The loss drops the Hawks to 23-23 on the season and 14-9 at home. They are now 1.5 games behind the Knicks for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Suns, meanwhile, continue to roll. They have won seven of their last eight games and are now 33-14 on the season. They are 3.5 games ahead of the Grizzlies for the top spot in the Western Conference.
The Suns are looking like a legitimate contender to win the NBA championship this season.
