In the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls game last Friday, Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine got the headlines for his 50-point outing. However, Hawks guard Trae Young had a gem of a stat line too as he achieved a near triple-double of 42 points, eight rebounds, and nine dimes.
Trae Young last night:
✅ 42 PTS
✅ 8 REB
✅ 9 ASTIt was the 16th time Young has recorded at least 40 points and five assists in a game. The only player in NBA history with more such games before his 23rd birthday is LeBron James (17). pic.twitter.com/lD1qJVcTQ9
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) April 10, 2021
Trae Young has plenty of games remaining to tie or even exceed LeBron James' record as he won't turn 24 until September 19th. The keys to the Atlanta offense are in Young's hands. Admittedly, he has games, where he is an absolute dud – making questionable decisions and taking poor shots, but when Young is in the zone, he can easily light up a scoreboard.
During the draft process for Trae Young, his best-case scenario was Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. Both are undersized but have a limitless range and natural, playmaking ability. Those are lofty expectations, but Young is on the right track in meeting them.
In the stacked 2018 draft, Luka Dončić and Trae Young were traded for one another, which means whether they want to or not their careers will always be compared side-by-side. The fact that they are both high-usage players, who can score at will and set up their teammates makes the comparisons easier.
For now, it seems the Dallas Mavericks made the better choice in Dončić, as he has taken the league by storm and is frequently mentioned in MVP discussions. Should the Slovenian continue his dominance winning the MVP is closer to a matter of when and not if.
If Trae Young becomes more efficient and minimizes his mistakes, then he should be in the same boat as Dončić sooner rather than later.
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