ORLANDO – The Hawks (14-14) bounced back with a 111-99 win vs. the Magic (5-24) Wednesday at Amway Center.
Next up, the Hawks begin a three-game homestand when they host the Nuggets Friday.
Below are some takeaways from the win:
1. After a fourth-quarter collapse in Monday’s loss to the struggling Rockets, this game against the rebuilding Magic became all the more important for the Hawks to take care of. It wasn’t perfect, with the Magic winning the rebounding battle 54-46 (pulling down 12 offensive boards), but the Hawks had a 14-point lead at halftime and came away with a comfortable win, shooting 49.4% from the field, with a 21-point lead before pulling starters late in the fourth.
“It was important, very important,” Young said of bouncing back. “Felt like a must-win game for us even though it’s the beginning of the season and it may not be, but it felt like it. We knew we let one get away last game so we needed to go take care of business. I liked the mindset and the approach we had today.”
2. Anemic finishes have put late-game execution under a microscope, especially given the blown 19-point lead against Houston. Atlanta had an even bigger lead in this one, entering the final period up 93-73. Ultimately, the Hawks lost the fourth quarter 26-18, though with starters (Young, Kevin Huerter, John Collins, Clint Capela) plus Cam Reddish (in lieu of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot) out on the floor at the 2:38 mark, they led by 21. It only slipped when they went to the bench, closing with a lineup of Reddish, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Sharife Cooper, Delon Wright and Gorgui Dieng.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. During a timeout with 2:57 left in the third quarter, Young seemed to be in discomfort after taking a hit to the face from Cole Anthony earlier in the game. He walked back to the locker room with what was ruled a neck cramp, got it worked out, then came back out to the bench early in the fourth quarter, checking back in at the 5:31 mark with the Hawks leading by 18. After the win, Young said his neck is sore, but he’s feeling alright now.
“My neck has been real sore, and then just getting that elbow to the face, it turned my neck and I don’t know, I wouldn’t say whiplash, but it just made my neck turn,” Young said. “Felt kind of weird. Had to go to the back and get it rubbed out. That’s pretty much all it is. Kind of sore but it’s alright.”
Trae Young scored a game-high 28 points and John Collins added 21.
4. Offensively, Young and Collins led the way for the Hawks. Young tallied a game-high 28 points (11-for-22 field goals, 1-for-8 from 3-point range, 5-for-5 free throws), even though he struggled to connect from beyond the arc, adding four rebounds, four assists and two steals, with just one turnover (he has averaged 6.3 turnovers over the previous four games). Collins added a double-double of 21 points (8-14 FG, 2-4 from 3-point range, 3-3 FT) and 10 rebounds, with two assists.
5. Reddish, Lou Williams and Danilo Gallinari had productive nights off the bench for the Hawks. Reddish added 13 points, going 3-for-6 from 3-point range, adding three rebounds, one assist and one steal, with key back-to-back 3′s toward the end of the third quarter after the Magic had narrowed the deficit to 14. Williams added 14 points (5-11 FG, 2-2 from 3), two rebounds and two steals and Gallinari added 10 points, three assists and three rebounds.
Stat of the game: 11 (the Hawks tied a season-high with 11 steals, helping them hold the Magic to under 100 points)
Star of the game: Young (led the Hawks with 28 points, pushing through a neck cramp issue)
Quotable: “That’s what the game is all about. You’ve got to make plays and we’ve been in the situation a lot this season where those shots have not fallen for us. ... Tonight, we were able to do that to stop the run.” (Hawks coach Nate McMillan on Reddish’s key 3-pointers in the third)
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