Trae Young & Damian Lillard Take Center Stage Tonight
The Atlanta Hawks continue their playoff push tonight in a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Since the All-Star break, the team is 2-1 and looking to recover following the loss to the Washington Wizards. As the playoff push continues, the point guard matchup between Trae Young and Damian Lillard with be sparring back and forth to witness.
The back-and-forth scoring will be exciting to watch between Young and Lillard. The two are a threat once they pass halfcourt, and they can impact the game both from the perimeter and with their playmaking. The two point guards continue to make a case as two of the best in their respective conferences.
In the first game of the season series, it was the Blazers who captured the win in Portland, followed by 42 points from Lillard. Despite Young being sidelined for the contest, Dejounte Murray was able to lead the charge with 40 points of his own to keep the team in the contest. While Young was sidelined due to an ankle injury, Hawks fans are certain that the team would’ve gotten a win if their star point guard had been available.
During their four head-to-head matchups, both Young and Lillard have provided big performances against one another. It’s an example of a young talent not backing down from the veteran. Matching up against Lillard brings the best out of Young as he looks to establish himself for the game along with his teammates. Young and Lillard’s last duo took place on May 3, 2021, as Young scored 21 points and dished 11 assists, followed by Lillard exploding for 33 points. In the end, Young led the Hawks to a 123-114 victory, clinching his first career win against Lillard.
One of the keys to a win against Portland is to slow down the scoring of Damian Lillard. This is a player who is currently the hottest player in the NBA after his 71-point performance against the Houston Rockets. Lillard is a player who can silence the Atlanta crowd in a matter of possessions. Forcing him into more of a playmaker than a scorer gives the Hawks a higher chance of coming out of this contest on top.
As Young searches for his second win against Lillard, what is more, important is continuing the momentum of the Atlanta Hawks clinching a playoff berth. After the loss on Wednesday, the team wants to start the new month on the right note and protect home-court advantage.
