Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young had a miserable shooting night in Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. He got shackled by the straitjacketing defense of the Sixers, as the Hawks dropped the match, 118-102.
At this point, it has become crystal clear that the Hawks will go as far as Young will take them. He's the trash-talking barometer. The fire-breathing heartbeat. But for the 22-year-old Young, who has been nothing but sensational in his first NBA Playoffs, he needs all of his teammates to perform, tipping his hat to Kevin Huerter for doing so in Game 2 (via Hawks reporter Sarah Spencer).
“He's been doing really good, knocking down shots, being ready, and being aggressive. He's been playing great and we're going to need him to continue to do that if we're going to finish out this series strong.”
Young finished with 21 points but missed 10 of his 16 shots and committed four turnovers. He, however, had 11 assists. Huerter, meanwhile, provided extra punch off the bench, tallying 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. He also chipped in two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
Article Continues BelowWhile his solid showing ended up in a loss, Huerter expressed confidence that things will only get better as they head back home.
Kevin Huerter: "Obviously, you never want to lose a game, but the feeling in the locker room is we get to go home and try to take care of business in front of our home fans."
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) June 9, 2021
After toying with the New York Knicks, Young arguably got his first taste of real postseason defense as Ben Simmons, Danny Green, Matisse Thybulle, and Seth Curry all made life difficult for him in Game 2.
Trae Young, however, has never lacked confidence. And with his boys providing ample support, they should continue to soar.