Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Hawks Beat Bulls 130-124
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Recap
With 10:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, DeMar DeRozan hit his second straight midrange shot to put the Bulls up 101-94. It felt eerily similar to last Thursday's game in Chicago. The only difference is tonight the Hawks said, "I think not."
Well, they didn't literally say that. Instead, they hit shot after shot aided by a few well-timed defensive stops. Trae Young led the way with 39 points and 13 assists. A few of those dimes went to Bogdan Bogdanovic, who continued his tear with 20 points off the bench.
It was a well-rounded effort from the Hawks. Every started scored in double-digits, and the reserves stepped up in the absence of John Collins and Onyeka Okongwu. The team shot 52.4% from the field and 45% from three.
Meanwhile, the Bulls relied heavily on their big three. DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic scored 22, 22, and 21 points, respectively. They shot 58.6% from the field and a blistering 53.8% from deep.
However, with no Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, the Bulls perimeter defense loses its bite. One of the biggest indicators was their inability to stay in front of their man on defense. The Hawks shot 28 free throws compared to the Bulls 7. In the final minute of action, Young reminded defenders that they can't guard him.
Post-Game Interviews
Hawks head coach Nate McMillan said, "We've been talking about finishing, and the last game that we played them in Chicago, after the break, we didn't finish."
McMillan continued, "We talked about not letting Chicago sweep us, and it was just finding a way tonight to get it done. I thought our guys responded in that third and fourth quarter with urgency."
Trae Young celebrates after hitting a game-clinching shot against the Chicago Bulls in Atlanta.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
No one was sure if Trae Young would even be able to play tonight after suffering an ankle injury in Boston. "I was thinking about it on the way to the arena. Just understanding, we had a back-to-back too. Just not wanting to mess it up even more."
Young got his ankles taped heavily and used the pregame shootaround to determine if he was good to go. His performance tonight answered that question. His old-school demeanor belies his youth. Early in his career, he would hide injuries.
"I used to never tell the staff sometimes. There used to be times I would feel pain and not say anything just because I know they are very cautious with guys getting injured and things like that. I've always grown up playing against older guys, and when I get knocked down, my dad was always there to be like, 'Get up, be strong.' I've just always had that mindset, just as a kid. Just being small, maybe it's a mindset that I have. I feel like I can play though pain. I can play through things. Maybe it's a good or bad thing. I had a mindset."
The Hawks are now hopping on a flight to our nation's capital. They face the Wizards tomorrow night in a crucial Southeast Division battle. Check back tomorrow morning for your game day scouting report. In the meantime, keep it locked into Sports Illustrated's AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.
Stats
Hawks Leaders
Trae Young - 39 PTS, 13 AST
Bogdan Bogdanovic - 20 PTS, 4 REB
De'Andre Hunter - 18 PTS, 3 REB
Bulls Leaders
DeMar DeRozan - 22 PTS, 8 REB
Zach LaVine - 22 PTS, 7 REB
Nikola Vucevic - 21 PTS, 11 REB
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