Trae Young dropped a career-high 50 points in Thursday’s 129-124 home win against the Heat, adding to his highlight reel of long-range three pointers that opposing teams simply can’t defend. Young dominated the fourth quarter scoring Atlanta’s last 10 points.
In his first appearance since being selected as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game, Young finished 12-25 including eight three pointers and chipped in eight assists, two rebounds and two steals. He also broke a tie with Chicago’s Zach Lavine for a league-leading three games with 20 points in the fourth quarter. When asked if the All-Star selection added to his confidence, Young told ESPN, “I’ve always had confidence in myself.”
“A big game from our leader,” Atlanta’s John Collins told the media after contributing 12 points and seven rebounds. “We got some big plays from our big-time guy.”
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The Heat had trouble defending Young’s 30-foot jumpers including one near center court next to the Hawks’ logo where Young pointed to after draining one from long distance. “He just got into such an incredible rhythm,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s pulling up from 6 feet behind the line. … There’s not a lot of things you can do about that.”
Only three players have scored 50 points at a younger age than the 21-year-old including LeBron James (three times), Brandon Jennings and Devin Booker.
The second-year player is averaging 30.1 points, 4.4 rebound and 9.2 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range. His ballhandling ability, quick hesitation moves and overall awareness on the court, make him a nightmare for defenders. He is the closest thing to Stephen Curry there is, but will his flashy style of play translate to wins in the future? The 2018 NBA Draft day trade that sent Young to the Hawks in exchange for Luke Doncic, who’s stellar play has pushed the Mavericks into a playoff spot, will continually be brought up for years to come.
Right now, Atlanta sits in the basement of the Eastern Conference with a record of 16-41, but they’ve recently acquired Rockets’ center Clint Capela to bolster their defense rating that ranks 27th in the league, according to NBA Team Stats. It’ll be interesting to see how Atlanta fares with just over a third of the season left to play. One thing is certain, however, Young’s games are must-watch television.
