After a thrilling Game 3 win against the Miami Heat, Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks came crashing down with a 110-86 beatdown at home in Game 4. A poor showing in the second quarter made all the difference in this contest as Erik Spoelstra's squad ran away with the win to go up 3-1 in this series.
Surely enough, it wasn't the kind of result that the Hawks were hoping for. Atlanta continues to miss the usual production of John Collins, who is playing through a sprained foot and a nasty finger injury. Through four games, it is evident the Heat are far better in terms of health, chemistry, and overall talent, which will help them emerge victorious in this opening-round series.
The Hawks won't just roll over and die, but they need much better performances from these three players after their dreadful efforts in Game 4.
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3 Hawks most to blame for Game 4 loss
3. Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic had a solid outing in their Game 3 win by being the second-leading scorer for the Hawks with 18 points. He also produced eight rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes off the bench. However, the Serbian didn't sustain his performance in Game 4, where he only notched four points, four rebounds, and an assist.
In his defense, he saw a significantly less amount of minutes in Game 4 as he only played 21 minutes of action on the floor. Still, with his level of talent, Bogdanovic can certainly do better than how he performed in Game 4. In fact, he even took charge of the team's offense in Game 2, scoring 29 points for the Hawks in a tough loss.
Given his abilities on offense, Bogdanovic must be more consistent because there is no margin for error. Now down 3-1 in the series, the Hawks need all the help they can get from their other guys, including the 29-year-old wingman, in order to extend their playoff lives.
Ultimately, as one of their best players on the second unit, it is Bogdanovic's responsibility to be the spark off the bench and carry the offensive load when relieving their starters. If he manages to bounce back in Game 5, the Hawks will have the chance to keep fighting.
Another Hawks player who skipped a beat in the fourth game of the series was Kevin Huerter. In Game 3, the Maryland product put forth a valiant contribution with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 33 minutes as a starter. In Game 4, his production regressed to his lowest scoring output in the series by being limited to only four points on 1-of-7 made shots from the field. He completed his line with three rebounds and four assists in almost the same amount of minutes played.
Moreover, Huerter also had four turnovers for the Hawks in Game 4. Not only did Huerter's performance drop on offense, but he was a nonfactor on defense as well. His primary defensive assignment in Max Strus got the better of their matchup by scoring 20 points to be tied as the second-leading scorer for the Heat.
All in all, it was a game to forget for Huerter. The Hawks must demand more from him in Game 5 in order to help their backcourt attack be more effective.
1. Trae Young
As the main man of this team, it is expected that Trae Young will shoulder most of the blame after another tough outing in a disappointing loss. In Game 3, the Oklahoma talent was the hero for Atlanta after making the game-winning floater with 4.4 seconds left to secure a 111-10 victory on their home floor.
However, his luster faded in Game 4. He was limited to only nine points on 3-of-10 shots from beyond the arc. Young also led the team in turnovers by committing five errors in this contest. He joined other starters like Huerter and Clint Capela in being held to single digits in Game 4.
Surely enough, credit must be given to Miami's defense for making sure that none of the Hawks' starters would get their game going, which ultimately sealed the deal. Now on the brink of elimination, Young has no other choice but to come out with a better outing and prove to everyone that he can indeed carry the team on his back, especially in the playoffs.
It will be a tough challenge for him against a Heat defense selling out so hard to stop him. Not to mention that John Collins not being in full health remains a huge hit to the team's offensive attack as well. Ultimately, Game 5 will rest on Young's shoulders, and his performance in that tilt will determine whether or not the Hawks will live to fight another day in this first-round series.
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