The Atlanta Hawks took on the New York Knicks on Monday night, and point guard Trae Young was up to his usual passing tricks with a slick, behind-the-back no-look dime to John Collins for a triple.
Trae getting fancy with it đ pic.twitter.com/7uELT2dpwe
â NBA TV (@NBATV) February 16, 2021
It was definitely a beautiful move all the way around, further brought home by the high dribble prior to the pass, causing Taj Gibson to keep his eye on Trae Youngâjust long enough for the 22-year-old Hawks star to fire off the sweet dish to Collins.
While it was a nifty play, the Hawks were reeling from a 17-point outburst from Julius Randle in the first quarter when Young made the highlight.
Article Continues BelowOne major culprit of the Hawksâ defensive issues is injuries, as backup point guard Kris Dunn, a noted defensive specialist, has been unable to play a single minute for Atlanta after signing in the offseason.
That means the team has had to rely on Rajon Rondo for major backup point guard minutes, and while heâs clearly a good leader and a proven winner, he is mostly a factor in the playoffsâwhen âPlayoff Rondoâ awakens from his slumber (as he did last year with the Los Angeles Lakers).
At this point, itâs unclear if the Hawks will even make the playoffs, even if there is a play-in game at the end of the season. Young and Atlanta have lost three straight and are 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Overall, the team has dropped to 11-15 on the season prior to Monday's contest, which is 10th in the East. Perhaps even more shamefully, Young is only sixth among guards in the Eastern Conference in All-Star voting (though thatâs out of the teamâs hands, of course).