Trae Young Scores 33 Points. Hawks Win 114-111 over Pacers
Tonight was not shaping up to be a win for the Atlanta Hawks. They were on the road without multiple starters and a head coach. This afternoon we learned Head Coach Nate McMillan was isolating after his son, Jamelle (also on the coaching staff), entered the NBA's Health & Safety Protocols for COVID-19. Thanks to assistant coach Chris Jent filling in, McMillan got his 700th career coaching victory against his old team.
Despite being so shorthanded, or maybe because they were in an underdog role, the Hawks played inspired ball. The team shot 44-86 (51.2%) from the field and 16-33 (48.5%) from deep. Coach Jent needed the role players to step up, and they did so in their higher than usual time on the court.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot chipped in 8 points over 25 minutes. Lou Williams added 12 points in 16 minutes, while Delon Wright scored 11 points in 18 minutes. Everyone played except for Gorgui Dieng and Skylar Mays.
Trae Young led the team with 33 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Kevin Huerter blistered the defenders with 19 points on 8-11 shooting (3-4 from behind the arc).
It could be argued that the Hawks' inspired play didn't always make it back down the court for defense. Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points on 9-10 shooting, while Malcolm Brogdon logged 27 points on 50% shooting. Additionally, Myles Turner was able to somewhat neutralize Clint Capela who's been playing at an All-Stat level as of late. Thanks to the Pacers' big three, they were in the game until the final possession.
After the game, acting Hawks Head Coach Chris Jent took a moment to praise Nate McMillan as a coach and as a man. Jent said, "You all know Coach McMillan, and to be part of his legacy - the quality of person, the quality of coach he is. To be tagged with that man is a great honor. I'm honored to be a part of that, so it's really cool."
When it was his turn to speak, Young put the accomplishment in an even broader perspective. "700 wins is big time. To do it after a playing career is even crazier. That just shows how dedicated he is to winning, and it shows he knows so much about the game. I'm happy that we're a part of it. It's a big milestone, and we're looking forward to winning some more for him."
The Hawks are heading back home for a nationally-televised game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. We will keep you updated on the health and status of the coaching staff and the roster. Thank you for your continued support of Sports Illustrated's AllHawks.com.
Hawks Stats Leaders
Trae Young - 33 PTS, 10 AST, 8 REB
Kevin Huerter - 19 PTS, 4 REB
John Collins - 14 PTS, 4 BLK
Pacers Stats Leaders
Malcolm Brogdon - 27 PTS, 9 REB
Domantas Sabonis - 22 PTS, 10 REB
Myles Turner - 17 PTS, 9 REB.
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