RECAP: Trae Young And Caris LeVert Combine For 62 Points To Lift Atlanta To Second Straight Victory Over Indiana

For the second time in the last three games, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Indiana Pacers. It was a closer game this time around, but clutch fourth quarters from Caris LeVert and Trae Young propelled the Hawks to a win over Indiana, who was missing star point guard Tyrese Haliburton again, and they moved them into 7th place in the Eastern Conference.

Young and LeVert combined for 62 of the Hawks' 120 points and 19 of the Hawks' 25 fourth quarter points. After an injury scare in the third quarter, Young finished tonight's game with 36 points and eight assists on 11-24 shooting. LeVert has become a player who steps up in the fourth quarter of games for the Hawks and he did it again tonight, scoring nine in the fourth and 26 in the game on 10-17 shooting.

A big night from Onyeka Okongwu should not go overlooked tonight. Okongwu had 16 points and 16 rebounds, as well as three blocks and three steals. Okongwu has had two straight big outings against the Pacers and was pivotal tonight.

Overall, the Hawks slowed down after a big first quarter and ended up shooting 46% from the field and 29% from three. The Hawks scored 58 points in the paint.

Atlanta played solid defense all night, especially in the first quarter, where they held Indiana to 19 points. The Pacers shot 44% from the field and 30% from three tonight. After missing Thursday's game, you could tell what kind of impact that Benedict Mathurin brings to the Pacers. He scored 30 points tonight and was consistently the go-to option for the Pacers. After a big night on Thursday, Pascal Siakam scored 23 points on 8-19 shooting.

Up next for the Hawks is a home game on Monday night vs the 76ers. Atlanta has won three of their last four games and have a favorable part of their schedule coming up. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the Hawks can continue to move up in the standings.

Hawks kept their usual starting five. Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Mouhamed Gueye, and Onyeka Okongwu were the first five on the floor for the Hawks. Indiana started Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner.

It was a scorching hot start for Young. He scored 11 of the Hawks first 15 points, hitting his first four shots of the game. Atlanta led 15-5 in the early part of the first quarter and the offense was in rhythm.

Trae is LOCKED IN 🥶

11 points in 4 minutes pic.twitter.com/L6wKK8I3Bo
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 9, 2025

The offense was locked in the entire first quarter for the Hawks. Young finished with 13 points in the quarter and he got help from Caris LeVert, who came off the bench to score 10 in the opening quarter, shooting 4-5 from the field. Atlanta shot 65% from the field in the opening quarter, including 50% from three.

The offense was fantastic, but the defense was just as good, holding Indiana to 29% shooting from the field and 1-10 from three. Indiana was without Tyrese Haliburton in this game and their guard depth was tested further when T.J. McConnell went down with an injury in the first quarter and left to go to the locker room. The Hawks led 39-19 after the first and everything was clicking for them.

Indiana responded quickly though and trimmed the 20-point lead. Led by Benedict Mathurin and Thomas Bryant, the Pacers opened up the second quarter on a 14-6 run and Atlanta led 45-33. Atlanta's offense was slow to start the quarter too, going 2-7.

The Hawks offensive struggles persisted to start the quarter. After beginning the night 4-5 from three, Atlanta missed their first four attempts of the quarter and seven straight going back to the first. With 5:07 left, the Pacers now had the Hawks big lead trimmed to single digits 51-42.

Right after the timeout, the Hawks offense got clicking and it was Young that spurred it. He scored the first five points for the Hawks after the timeout and that led to an 11-3 run to push the lead to 62-45 with 2:23 remaining.

Trae from Tri-Cities 📍 pic.twitter.com/jDy8zX8Zd8
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 9, 2025

The Hawks closed the half strong and Young capped off one of the best halves of his career with a bucket with one second on the clock. Atlanta led Indiana 69-52 at the half and Young led the way with 26 points, tied for the second-most points in a single half in his career and the most points in a first half in his career. Atlanta shot 60% from the field and 40% from three. LeVert had 13 points and Okongwu had a near double-double in the first half with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Atlanta's defense was strong in the first half, holding Indiana to 37% shooting and 23% (5-22) from three. After a 35 point performance on Thursday, Siakam only had seven points in the first half tonight.

Like the second quarter, the Pacers began the third quarter on a run that cut into the Hawks' lead. Indiana opened things up on a 14-6 run in the first three minutes, which prompted a timeout from Quin Snyder.

The Hawks suffered an injury scare in the third quarter. Young was being guarded by Indiana's Quenton Jackson and fell down and was in visible pain.

The play on which Trae fell: pic.twitter.com/UKJCY25AzS
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) March 9, 2025

Young went to the locker room, but returned minutes later and resumed playing. The Hawks announced that Young had suffered a left quad contusion.

Trae Young (left quad contusion) is available to return to tonight’s game.
— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) March 9, 2025

The Pacers refused to go away. Benedict Mathurin scored 11 points in the quarter for the Pacers and the Hawks did not shoot the ball well in the quarter. It was a tight game going into the fourth.

The Pacers got the lead back with a Thomas Bryant three to put them ahead 104-102, but the Hawks kept battling and with 3:36 left, the Hawks grabbed the lead back 115-11.

Out of the timeout, both teams could not hit a shot. Nembhard missed a bucket followed by a miss from Young on the other end. After a Pacers turnover, Niang missed an open three and then Nesmith missed a shot and the game clock went under two minutes. After another Young miss, Nembhard broke the streak and cut the lead to two with a made shot.

Atlanta responded with a clutch bucket from Okongwu to get the lead back to four, but Nembhard responded with a bucket of his own. After Mathurin dominated the Pacers offense in the third, Nembhard was keeping them in it in the cluth.

LeVert, who had another fantastic fourth quarter for the Hawks, missed a shot, but Okongwu grabbed a rebound which led to another Young miss, his third consecutive miss. With a chance to tie or take the lead, Young fouled Myles Turner and he had a chance to tie the game. After hitting the first shot, Turner missed the second, but Atlanta deflected the ball out of bounds with 17.4 seconds remaining. The Pacers had a chance to win the game on their next possession.

Indiana inbounded the ball to Mathurin, who got by LeVert and had a clean look at the basket. He missed the shot though and the Hawks got the rebound. Young hit both free throws and then instead of trying to tie the game, Siakam drove the lane and dunked the ball with less than two seconds remaining. Young was fouled again and after making the first one, he missed the second one on purpose and the game was over. Atlanta won 120-118 and won their second straight game vs the Pacers and third in their last four tries. The Hawks moved into 7th place in the Eastern Conference with the win and the Heat's loss to the Bulls. The Hawks will be back on the court on Monday night to face the 76ers.

Related Links