ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks were once again down several key players in Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings, but that didn't stop them from fighting until the end. Players such as Garrison Mathews and Keaton Wallace kept the Hawks in the game as they combined for 11 three-pointers, but it was Trae Young who once again did it all for team. Young finished the game with 25 points and 12 assists, but he played 42 minutes.

After the game, head coach Quin Snyder only answered one question and had a mic drop moment talking about Young's performance.

“Everybody should get their pens out and start writing about Trae Young,” Synder said. “He was poised with the officials, from the very beginning of the game, he got blitzed. He trusted his teammates, wasn’t selfish, got off the ball early to shooters, and then he started hitting Clint in the roll. He managed the game, took a charge with six minutes left in the game. 

“If anybody doesn’t look at his performance tonight and respect the mental toughness that he has to play with right now when everything is going through him. With admiration for his competitiveness and the trust he has in his teammates, the guy was unbelievable. Not diminishing other guys’ effort, but that was a hell of a performance, and we shouldn’t lose track of that because we lost the game.”

Young has had to shoulder more responsibility with the Hawks down so many players, but he's been able to produce in those moments. The Kings didn't make it easy on Young, throwing multiple bodies on him, taking away his driving lanes, and playing aggressively. Young still found a way to counter that and get his teammates involved, while also hitting some big shots as well to get the Hawks back in the game.

“Keaton came in the game, Garrison came in the game, and really changed the game, and that's what happens when guys get opportunities and they take advantage of it,” Young said after the game. “We made some runs, weren't able to take the lead, but we fought, and it was good to see.”

Trae Young carrying the load for the Hawks amid injuries

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Before their game against the Kings, Quin Snyder spoke about the several injuries and how Young has had to carry the load for the Hawks recently.

“Injuries that we have are at his position. The ball-handling responsibility falls on Trae [Young],” Synder said. “When you are the person the other team plays for, when [Bilal] Coulibaly guards you, when [Lu] Dort guards you, Trae’s got the toughest matchup, and offensively we’re depending on his ability to create. 

“We’re asking him to defend, play 40 minutes. He holds himself accountable because he wants to win. It’s a challenge for him, but if you guys know, Trae is really competitive. This year a focal point for him is trying to make the people around him better. Right now, without Dyson [Daniels], [De'Andre Hunter], Vit [Krejci], and others, he’s really got to lift people. That takes a lot out of him, not just physically but emotionally.”

Young has now played 40+ minutes in back-to-back games, but the hope is that he doesn't have to do that for long. There's a possibility that Dyson Daniels and De'Andre Hunter return sooner rather than later, but there hasn't been much of an update on them. If the Hawks are at least able to get them back, things could start to improve for them as a whole.