Five Takeaways from Hawks Win Over Pelicans

It was not always pretty, but the Atlanta Hawks escaped victorious over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The Hawks improved to 6-3, and the Pelicans fell to 5-4.

Friday night's game was the Pelicans' one trip to Atlanta, and they gave fans their money worth during the overtime thriller. Below are our five biggest takeaways from last night.

Defense

While a few Hawks players put up big numbers, the offense was far from efficient. Last night's victory could largely be attributed to the team's defense. Sure, they gave up 29 points to Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, but they contained the rest of the Pelicans supporting cast.

As of this morning, the Hawks are in the middle of the pack defensively. They have a 112.5 defensive rating which ranks 16th in the league. There is still room for improvement, but that's significantly better than last season.

Dejounte Murray

Dejounte Murray picked up where left off following a career-high 36 points against the New York Knicks. Last night, Murray provided a triple-double, accentuated by a game-tying shot with four seconds remaining in regulation.

It was not Murray's most efficient performance, shooting 9-23. However, he had a +21 plus/minus, which was far better than any player on either team.

Clutch

Building off our discussion of Murray's performance, we have to credit the Hawks for keeping their cool under pressure. They trailed twice during the final minute of regulation and still managed to win the game.

Per Team Rankings, the Hawks were bottom-five in fourth quarter margin last season. So far, they rank seventh this season. Additionally, the Hawks were 0-1 in overtime last season, compared to 1-0 now.

Clint Capela

We were tough in assessing Clint Capela's output last season. But last night was a reminder of what the big man is capable of doing. Capela had 21 points, 19 rebounds, and was even more important on the defensive end of the floor.

Following the game, Capela sidestepped a question about his health, instead reiterating his focus on effort and energy. Capela is only 28 years old, so he is still in the prime of his career.

Trae Young

Despite playing in protective eyewear, Trae Young put on a show last night. The offensive maestro scored 34 points and dished ten assists. His flurry of floaters and free throw attempts demoralized the Pelicans defense.

Last night, Young knocked down 15-16 free throw attempts. So far, he is averaging 9.3 free throw attempts per game, which is fifth in the NBA.

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