Friday evening, the 37-37 Atlanta Hawks defeated the visiting 48-26 Golden State Warriors. The first half was a seesaw battle the home team completely took over in the second half. The final score was 121-110, and Hawks guard Trae Young dominated the entire game.
“When we were up in Golden State I had a really good first half, and then they went to a box in one and we got stuck,” Young told ClutchPoints. “We didn't know what to do.”
The last time the Hawks played the Warriors, Golden State had the No.1 defense in the NBA. Although they are still statistically a top-ranked defense, the Dubs’ productivity has plummeted drastically on that end. Over the last 15 games, they're ranked 14th in defensive rating.
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Article Continues Below“I think we did a great job at shootaround this morning of making sure if they did go to a box in one or face guarding me, we knew what to do,” Young told reporters. “I know I can get off the ball. I can set good screens for my teammates to get open. I knew tonight, especially with Gary (Payton II) and the way he plays defense, picking up full court, I knew I was going to be a great screen setter tonight.”
Atlanta’s all-star point guard finished the game with 33 points and a game-high 15 assists. It was a brilliant performance from Young. He was a problem the Warriors had no answer for.
That's why the Hawks won this game. His ability to impact the game without having the ball in his hands made the Hawks’ offense unstoppable.