De'Andre Hunter Scores Career-High 35 Points in Hawks' Season-Ending Loss at Miami
De'Andre Hunter did everything he could, but it wasn't enough.
The former UVA men's basketball star put up a career-high 35 points as well as 11 rebounds in a clutch double-double performance, but his efforts were not enough to help the Atlanta Hawks stave off elimination, as the Miami Heat clinched the series with a 97-94 victory over the Hawks on Tuesday night in Miami.
Atlanta's superstar Trae Young, who has been blanketed by the Miami defense for most of the series, essentially disappeared in game five. Young scored 11 points on 2/12 shooting from the floor and had six turnovers.
With Young being swarmed by the Heat every time he touched the ball, De'Andre Hunter stepped up with the season on the line. The Hawks trailed by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter and easily could have folded and accepted defeat in the elimination game.
Hunter refused. He scored 18 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter, shooting 6/8 from the floor in the final period. Hunter converted on back-to-back long jump shots inside the last two minutes to bring the Hawks back to within two points with just 1:14 left in the game.
Then, Hunter was called for a questionable foul as he tried to shed a ball screen on defense, giving him his sixth personal foul, which disqualified him from the game. His final statline was 35 points on 11/21 shooting and 3/7 from beyond the arc, 10/11 free throws, 11 rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Without Hunter on the floor, the Hawks did not have an answer on the offensive end. Atlanta had a chance to tie the game trailing by just three points with a few seconds remaining. The Hawks struggled to get the ball in bounds and did not even attempt a shot as they turned it over on the game's final possession.
Atlanta's season came to an end on back-to-back losses in which it seemed De'Andre Hunter was the best player on the floor for the Hawks. He also scored a team-high 24 points in Atlanta's game four loss to the Heat.
After making an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, Atlanta's season ends with a 4-1 first round series loss to the No. 1 seed Heat. At the very least, De'Andre Hunter left his mark in this brief playoff run for the Hawks.
