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Tag: Trae Young

  • Atlanta Hawks get quality win, beat Cleveland Cavs 130-123 behind triple-double from Jalen Johnson

    Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) puts in two points during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Hawks have a winning record, but they didn’t have many quality victories this season. Other than a victory in Orlando in early November, the Hawks hadn’t defeated a team over .500.

    That changed on Friday night as the Hawks defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 130-123. After the game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said both teams played well, “but we did a lot of things late.”

    Cavaliers All-Star point guard Darius Garland was back on the court for just the sixth time this season. Cleveland is a much better team with Garland, the same way the Hawks are better when Trae Young is in the lineup. Similar to Garland, Young has only played in five games. He could be seen taking jump shots during warmups over an hour before the two teams came out for regular pregame warm-ups. Young isn’t expected back for another week or two.

    Atlanta got out to an early 10-point lead after allowing Cleveland to open the game with a 7-0 advantage. One of the strengths of this Hawks team is its depth, and reserves like Mouhamed Gueye have consistently contributed scoring when needed. Gueye caught an alley-oop from teammate Zaccharie Risacher on one possession and dunked home two points on a baseline drive on another. Gueye had another dunk to give Atlanta a 33-20 lead with 28.8 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

    Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) finished the game with 10 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Tied at 47 with five minutes remaining in the first half, Garland went on a mini-run, throwing alley-oops and getting to the basket whenever he felt it was necessary. He and All-Star teammate Donovan Mitchell (42 points) helped the Cavs grab a 56-55 lead with 2:22 on the clock.

    The first half included former Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter and Gueye getting into a double-foul situation following a dunk by Hunter. The Cavs then went on an 11-0 run to pull within a point at 33-32 at the nine-minute mark.

    There were more than a dozen lead changes during the first half before the Cavaliers finally took a 62-60 lead at the half. The Hawks, led by 15 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, had four players score 10 or more points during the first half. Mitchell led Cleveland with a game-high 22 first-half points.

    Atlanta regained the lead during the third quarter. The Hawks led by as many as nine points during the quarter, led by the play of Dyson Daniels. The Australian native averages just under 10 points per game for the Hawks, but continues to affect the game in different ways. Daniels scored four points late in the quarter, but also had eight assists and six rebounds by the end of the third.

    “I thought he did a great job of getting in the game and making the right decisions,” Snyder said of Daniels’s play on Friday night. “Tonight his stats reflected that.”

    The win over the Cavs was only the second over a team with a .500 record. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    During the fourth quarter, Mitchell scored eight straight points for Cleveland to cut the Atlanta lead. That run included a three-pointer off a Hawks turnover to make the score 107-103. Hawks guard Vit Krejci was the player who was responsible for the turnover, but it was also Krejci who dunked on a fast break to give Atlanta an 111-103 cushion.

    With the game tied at 113, the teams exchanged leads and dunks from Risacher and Hunter before the Hawks took a five-point advantage on a pair of free throws from Jalen Johnson (triple-double: 29 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists). The game was tied again at 123 with 1:24 remaining in the game when Alexander-Walker was fouled while shooting a three-pointer in front of the Hawks’ bench. Following a coach’s challenge, that call was reversed. Alexander-Walker would get his revenge when he and Risacher connected on back-to-back three-pointers to put Atlanta up 129-123 with less than a minute to play.

    The Atlanta Hawks were under .500 at home (3-4) coming into this game against the Cavaliers. Cleveland wasn’t playing much better on the road with a 4-4 record. Something had to give.

    A view of State Farm Arena (right), home of the Atlanta Hawks, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, on Friday, November 28, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    What’s Next: The Hawks will return to the court on Sunday in Philadelphia and on Monday in Detroit. They return to State Farm Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to begin a two-game homestand against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets on Friday, December 5.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Atlanta Hawks, winners Sunday night, have to play better at home

    Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder credited his team for keeping their poise during Sunday’s back-and-forth game against the Charlotte Hornets. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Hawks have had capacity crowds in State Farm Arena on several occasions this season, including for games against the Detroit Pistons (on Tuesday) and the Charlotte Hornets (tonight). For the most part, they have played competitively on their home turf this season. However, an overall home record of 3-4 following a 113-110 victory over Charlotte still leaves Atlanta playing underachieving ball in their own backyard. 

    On Sunday, against Charlotte, Atlanta got off to a slow start, falling behind by as much as six points before fighting back to take a 28-25 lead after the first quarter. For a team that is 8-3 on the road this season, and that’s without its All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks do not seem to be as focused at home. As of Sunday, the Hawks had the best road record in the Eastern Conference (the Toronto Raptors are 7-3 and the Detroit Pistons are 6-1).

    The Hawks finished the game with four players having scored 20 or more points, and five players in double-digits, including 10 points off the bench from point guard Keaton Wallace.

    After the game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder credited his team with “keeping their poise throughout the game” and remaining unselfish.

    “We didn’t think we were sharing the ball like we could have at the beginning of the game,” Snyder said.

    Charlotte regained a 35-31 lead early in the second quarter and kept an advantage throughout the quarter, ending the first half with a 55-53 lead. With both teams playing without their presumed best players, Charlotte was without guard LaMelo Ball (21 points, nine assists, and six rebounds), and the game was close throughout.  

    Jalen Johnson (28 points on 11-22 from the field), the Hawks’ leading scorer this season, scored six straight points to help Atlanta regain a 78-77 lead late in the third quarter. Johnson, the previous Eastern Conference Player of the Week, has been a huge reason for the Hawks’ strong play on the road this season, but a career year from first-year Hawk Nickeil Alexander-Walker (19 points, three assists, three rebounds per game) has done just as much to keep Atlanta among the top seven teams in the East.

    Alexander-Walker’s three-pointer near the end of the third quarter gave Atlanta a 92-88 lead. Defensive plays from Dyson Daniels (22 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and two steals) and Mouhamed Gueye, and a pair of three-pointers by Wallace contributed to Atlanta’s largest lead of the game, 101-92, with nine minutes remaining in the game. Alexander-Walker (23 points, four assists, five rebounds) made a couple of late-game free throws to help Atlanta secure the victory.

    Hawks reserve forward Mouhamed Gueye (above) blocked two shots during the Hawks’ three-point victory over the Hornets on Sunday night. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Gueye, who is averaging a career-high six points off the bench this season, only scored four points tonight, but blocked two shots. He said the entire team understands how to contribute night after night.

    “Everybody knows their role, and we’re just a team,” Gueye said in the Hawks locker room after the game. “We just find ways to win.”

    Atlanta will be back home a day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, to host former Hawks forward DeAndre Hunter and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

    A Duke reunion of sorts: Between the Hawks and Hornets, there were five Duke University basketball players on the court Sunday night. The Blue Devils alumni game featured Hawks star Jalen Johnson and reserve forward Luke Kennard (DNP), as well as Hornets starters Sion James (seven points, six rebounds, three assists in 32 minutes), Mason Plumlee, and Kon Knueppel (28 points). 

    Former Pebblebrook High School star and Hornets guard Colin Sexton (8, above at free throw line) scored 22 points on Sunday night. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Welcome Home, Colin: Marietta native, former Pebblebrook High School star and McDonald’s All-American Colin Sexton started for Charlotte on Sunday night. In the middle of a steady NBA career, Sexton is averaging 15 points and nearly five assists a game this season. In front of the home crowd on Sunday night, Sexton got the Hornets out to a strong start with nine of his 22 points in the first quarter. 

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Atlanta Hawks lose a ‘tough test’ to Detroit Pistons 120-112

    A pair of free throws from Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander Walker (at line) cut the Piston lead to four points with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks hosted the Detroit Pistons, the Eastern Conference’s best team. They lost, but might have learned some valuable lessons along the way. Final score: 120-112.

    Earlier that afternoon, The Atlanta Voice asked what kind of test playing the Pistons would be this early in the season. Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, said it would be much more than just another regular-season game.

    The Atlanta Hawks and forward Jalen Johnson (above) are on a five-game win streak. Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons at State Farm Arena is more just a regular season game, says Johnson. ” Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    “I think it’s going to be a good test. They are a great team; they have been hot. We just have to come in with a chip on our shoulder.”

    Johnson averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals during the four games he played last week. He said the Hawks have been playing well lately, but needed to continue building on the things that have helped them achieve a five-game win streak. That starts again tonight.

    “It’s a new game tonight, we have to protect home court,” Johnson said.

    Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, second in the league in steals (2.3) behind Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (2.4), brother of Hawks reserve point guard Keaton Wallace, was looking forward to a rare early-season big game. 

    Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (above) said games like the one against Detroit on Tuesday night were what good teams want to be a part of. “These are the games you want to play,” he said. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    “These are the games you want to play,” said Daniels. “It’s going to be a tough test, but we’re up for it. The guys are ready to go.” 

    Daniels and Johnson were correct; it was a tough test. Detroit went ahead early and, other than two ties in the second quarter, maintained a lead throughout the first half. Piston star guard and an early All-NBA candidate, Cade Cunningham, was averaging 27.5 points per game coming into the contest. Cunningham was held to four points late in the first half before scoring the Pistons’ final six points of the half. 

    Midway through the third quarter, the Hawks would seize some of the momentum, cutting the Pistons’ lead to five points on a three-pointer from Onyeka Okongwu. Cunningham scored four straight points and found his teammates, mainly forward Jalen Duran, for layups. 

    With a minute remaining in the third quarter, Atlanta gave up four unanswered points to Pistons reserves to go down 94-78. Four consecutive points from Johnson cut the Pistons’ lead to 12 points, 94-82, at the end of the quarter.

    The fourth quarter began with the home team slicing Detroit’s lead to eight points after Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Okongwu scored five unanswered points. A Daniels floater brought the crowd to its feet, and a tip-in by Mouhamed Gueye on the following possession made the score 97-93 with eight minutes to play. Daniels hit another floater in the late to bring Atlanta within a point, 99-98, and force a Pistons timeout. Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young could be seen cheering his teammates on from the bench. Young is expected to be out through November.

    Consecutive Atlanta turnovers gave Detroit time to get its act together and extend its lead to six points with less than five minutes to play. A dunk down the middle of the lane by former OTE star Ausar Thompson was one of the Pistons’ second-half highlights.

    With the score 108-104 and just under two minutes on the clock, Alexander-Walker drove to the basket and drew a foul. He made both free throws to pull Atlanta to within two points for the first time since the game began.

    Atlanta wouldn’t seriously threaten Detroit again.

    The Hawks, now 9-6 overall and 7-2 on the road this season, will play consecutive road games before returning to State Farm Arena to host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Atlanta will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Thursday and the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Ironincally, that will be the same weekend the Atlanta Hawks will play the New Orleans Saints in the Caesars Superdome in what has been deemed a must-win-or-else game for head coach Raheem Morris. 

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Trae Young, Hawks rally in fourth quarter to down Magic

    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Trae Young drained a pair of go-ahead free throws with 21 seconds left on Friday, helping the visiting Atlanta Hawks rally for a 111-107 victory over the Orlando Magic.

    Young had 25 points and six assists for Atlanta, which trailed by as many as 14 points before outscoring Orlando 33-21 in the fourth quarter. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 19 points, while Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 17 for the Hawks, who won despite shooting 27.6% (8-for-29) on 3-pointers. Mouhamed Gueye scored 13 points and Jalen Johnson totaled 12 in the comeback win.

    Franz Wagner led Orlando with 27 points, followed by Tristan da Silva’s and Desmond Bane’s 15 points apiece. Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero each chipped in 11 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. scored 10 for the Magic.

    After Young’s foul shots broke a 107-107 tie, Banchero missed a 3-pointer, which was rebounded by Gueye. Young then drilled two more free throws with a second left to seal the win.

    Trailing by 10 at halftime, Atlanta cut its deficit to four with 1:01 left in third following a 7-0 spurt. Gueye hit a 3-pointer and a mid-range jumper followed by Young’s layup, cutting the Hawks’ deficit to 82-78.

    The Magic finished the quarter with four straight points, taking an eight-point edge into the fourth.

    Wagner’s layup pushed the Orlando lead to 12 with 9:13 remaining in the fourth. Atlanta answered with a 12-0 run — including rookie Asa Newell’s 3-pointer and game-tying dunk — to knot the score at 93 and force a Magic timeout with 6:33 left.

    The Hawks’ run was pushed to 15 straight, as Young’s triple gave the Hawks their first lead since the beginning of the second quarter.

    Okongwu’s personal 5-0 run gave the Hawks a 103-98 lead with 3:20 left. Orlando tied the game at 105 with Carter’s three free throws and Banchero’s dunk. Young’s floater with 46 seconds left was followed by Suggs’ layup eight seconds later.

    Orlando took a 51-37 lead on Bane’s transition 3-pointer with 4:31 left in the second quarter. It wasn’t until the 3:47 mark of the quarter that the Hawks made their second triple, as Alexander-Walker sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit 11.

    Young’s reverse layup trimmed Orlando’s lead to eight, before Wagner made a putback to give the Magic a 61-51 halftime lead.

    –Field Level Media

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  • ‘This is just game one of 82’: Atlanta Hawks lose home opener by 20

    The Atlanta Hawks opened the 2025-26 season like they closed the 2024-25 season, with a loss. The Hawks fell to the Toronto Raptors, 138-118, in front of a sellout crowd of 17,800 fans. 

    With five minutes remaining in the game and the Hawks behind by 25 points, that sellout crowd began to start heading towards the exit. The NBA season is a marathon and not a sprint, so Wednesday night’s loss shouldn’t be seen as a sign for the rest of the season. That said, it was as bad a start as one could imagine for a team projected to be better than last season.

    Trae Young (above) scored 22 points during the loss. Eleven of those points were from the free-throw line.
    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Hawks took a 2-0 lead and never led the game again. Toronto guard RJ Barrett (game-high 25 points) and forward Scottie Barnes (22 points, six rebounds, and nine assists), arguably the team’s best players, along with veteran forward Brandon Ingram (16 points, nine rebounds), took charge of the game from the beginning. Atlanta couldn’t do anything to stop them.

    The Raptors outrebounded the Hawks by 20 (54-34) and scored 86 of their points in the paint. Toronto is a big team, but a 20-rebound advantage felt more like the Hawks’ lack of effort than the Raptors’ ability. After the game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said his team would have to do better going forward.

    Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder (above) credited forward Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher for playing hard the entire game. The Hawks were out-rebounded by 20 during the loss. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    “It’s hard to win games like that,” Snyder said. “There are a lot of things we need to clean up, and that’s stating the obvious.” 

    Snyder, Hawks guard Trae Young (5-14 from the floor, 22 points), and forward Jalen Johnson (team-high eight assists, 20 points, and seven rebounds) all said the loss was just one of 82 games and shouldn’t be a sign of the times in Hawks land.

    “Our team is going to be right, trust me,” Young said.

    Johnson, back on the court after a season-ending injury last season, was more straightforward about the loss. “We just got to be better,” he said.

    Johnson couldn’t have played much better. He ran the floor, led the team with seven rebounds, along with first-year Hawk Kristaps Porzingis (20 points), and did everything he could. 

    The two bench players brought in to help the Hawks’ depth, Nickeil Alexander-Walker (2-15 for 10 points) and Luke Kennard (1-5 from three-point land), weren’t much help tonight, but will need to be better if Atlanta is going to make the postseason without the help of a play-in game for the first time in years.

    Bright spot: Zaccharie Risacher scored 16 points and looked comfortable being a part of the Hawks’ offense. During his rookie season last year, he tended to shy away from the ball. Risacher, the runner-up for Rookie of the Year, took 13 shots, six of which were from behind the three-point line. 

    “He’s finding a good balance. You saw him attack the rim in transition,” Snyder said of Risacher. “He’s shooting the ball with confidence, and we need him to keep doing that.” 

    What’s next: The Hawks will travel south to Orlando to play a much-improved Magic squad on Friday, before returning to State Farm Arena to host the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • ‘Definitely looking forward to it’: Atlanta Hawks open preseason in Houston on Monday

    First-year Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis (right) works on his three-point form during practice on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Hawks will begin the preseason away from home. The preseason opener will be in Houston on Monday night (8 p.m. tipoff).

    On Sunday morning, the Hawks practiced at the team facility in Brookhaven, putting in some work before heading to Houston.

    Newcomers Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Kristaps Porzingis will play significant roles on this year’s team. On Sunday, Porzingis could be seen knocking down three-pointers during a drill. On the other side of the practice court, Kennard engaged in a three-point shootout with teammates like Vit Krejci, one of the team’s better long-range shooters last season. 

    Asked if they are looking forward to taking those three-pointers into an actual game, Lennard said, “Definitely looking forward to it.”

    “We have been pushing each other hard this last week of training camp. You’re going up against the same guys every day, so we’re excited to be all together as one team and compete as a group,” Kennard said.

    “I’m super-excited to compete wi
    th the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Hawks reserve guard Vit Krejci (above) said. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Krejci, who has been with the franchise since the 2022-23 season, said it has been a “long offseason” and he was ready to start playing in games again.

    “I’m super-excited to compete with the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Krejci said.

    Monday night will be the start of a new season for Atlanta.

    “I’m sure it’s going to take a couple of games, a couple of practices, but you can see from the start till now that we are getting better and understand each other more as teammates,” said Krejci. 

    The Atlanta Hawks (above) will play the Houston Rockets in a home-and-away this preseason.
    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Last year’s runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year, Zaccharie Risacher, returns to the court with added confidence and more experience. His role as one of the team’s scoring options will change with the return of Jalen Johnson from injury. And then there’s All-Star guard and the team’s leading scorer and assist man, Trae Young. 

    With one year remaining on his current contract and a player option for $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season, Young will be playing for more than a division title and playoff spot this year. He wasn’t available to talk to the media after practice on Sunday. Young was all smiles while hoisting three-pointers with his teammates when the media was allowed onto the practice floor.

    Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder after practice on Sunday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said there were certain things any team wanted to accomplish during the preseason and that these next four games were “an opportunity to put different lineups on the floor.”

    The preseason schedule, following the game in Houston, will include a game in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Saturday, Oct. 11, and a pair of home games against the Miami Heat (Monday, Oct. 13) and the Rockets (Thursday, Oct. 22). 

    The Hawks’ regular season begins at home at State Farm Arena against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Atlanta finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 40-42. It was the eighth consecutive season the Hawks finished with 43 or fewer wins in an individual season.  

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Insider Drops Critical Intel on Trae Young’s Future With Hawks

    The Atlanta Hawks have yet to sign Trae Young to a contract extension, which seems rather alarming given that the Hawks do not have any club control on Young beyond this coming season. Young has a $49 million player option for 2026-27, and at this point, you would have to think he would decline it.

    So exactly is the Hawks’ thought process here? Are they preparing to lose Young? Or are they just being cautious?

    More news: Report: Dallas Mavericks Preparing to Make Expensive Move

    NBA insider Marc Stein provided an update on the situation this week, noting that Atlanta is waiting to see how Young looks alongside of Jalen Johnson as a starter for a full season.

    Johnson was in the midst of a breakout campaign last year, averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and five assists over 35.7 minutes a night. However, his season ended after just 36 games due to a shoulder injury.

    The Hawks selected Johnson back in the 2021 NBA Draft, but he did not become a full-time starter until his third season, when he appeared in 56 contests during the 2023-24 campaign.

    WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 08, 2025 in Washington, DC.

    Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images

    Johnson has certainly had difficulty staying healthy thus far, which could throw a bit of a wrench into Atlanta’s plans this year. But it definitely makes sense for the Hawks to be in wait and see mode rather than hand Young a massive long-term contract that could end up coming back to bite them down the line.

    While Young did lead the NBA with 11.6 assists per game in 2024-25, he has not been quite what Atlanta expected in terms of representing an elite scoring threat the past several seasons.

    The 26-year-old averaged 24.2 points per game last year, his lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 2018-19. What’s more, Young made just 34 percent of his three-point attempts, marking the second time in three seasons that he shot under 35 percent from downtown.

    More news: Milwaukee Bucks Connected to Big Trade With Boston Celtics

    Young tallied a true-shooting percentage of 56.7 percent last season, his lowest mark since his debut campaign. He also posted a pedestrian .100 win shares per 48 minutes, well below his career average of .125 and significantly lower than his lifetime high of .181 that he achieved in 2021-22.

    Young’s stock has definitely dipped in recent years, so it’s certainly understandable that the Hawks are taking their time when it comes to determining his future.

    For more on the Atlanta Hawks and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.

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  • Trae Young shines in Atlanta Hawks 121-116 victory over New York Knicks

    Trae Young had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as his Atlanta Hawks beat the New York Knicks 121-116 win Wednesday night State Farm Arena. It marked his seventh career 20-point, 10-assist game vs. them (regular season and playoffs).

    Head Coach Quin Snyder, Zaccharie Risacher, and Jalen Johnson joined Trae Young at the podium to discuss the victory.

    Risacher, the first overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, admitted to reporters what gave him the confidence ahead of his big 33-point night Wednesday night.

    “He basically tells me to shoot the f—ing ball,” Risacher said. “That’s not just from him. That’s from everybody on the coaching staff and my teammates. It helps with my confidence.”

    Dyson Daniels dunks the basketball during an NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks inside State Farm Arena on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)

    Risacher is shooting 27% from three-point range this season.

    “I knew it was bound to happen eventually and I know it’s going to continue to happen with the way he’s been playing,” Young said of Risacher. “I struggled my first couple of months into my rookie year, and I was in Rookie of the Year debates in the second half. You’re going to go through ups and downs, especially in your rookie year. I know he wants to win, I know he wants to contribute. I just want him to always stay positive and keep his head on the right path.”

    “His progress isn’t going to be linear,” Snyder said. “He’s got to stay at it. We have confidence in him if he makes shots or he doesn’t. Today, he was really good on the defensive glass, as well.”

    The Hawks will face off against Detroit on Friday. They’ll be back at State Farm Arena Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls.

    Itoro N. Umontuen

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  • Atlanta Hawks win season opener 120-116, host Charlotte on Friday

    Atlanta Hawks win season opener 120-116, host Charlotte on Friday

    The Atlanta Hawks will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Hawks

    The Atlanta Hawks were back at State Farm Arena for the season opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

    Atlanta won the game 120-116 behind 30 points from Trae Young, 28 points from backup center Onyeka Okongwu, and 15 points from former New Orleans Pelican forward Dyson Daniels. The Hawks had their highest scoring quarter (37 points) when it counted the most: during the fourth quarter.

    Atlanta got off to a strong start, pulling ahead by nine points early in the first quarter before the Nets tied the game at 15 at the 4:51 mark. Okongwu led the way during the first half with 14 points and five rebounds. Okongwu scored several of his points on huge put-back dunks that brought the crowd to its feet.

    Though he had nine points during the first half, Young began the game 2-6 from the field. Nets forward Ben Simmons, who often had his best games against the Hawks early in his career as a Philadelphia 76er, nearly had a triple-double at halftime with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Nets managed to go into halftime with a 55-51 lead.

    East Atlanta’s own Gucci Mane performed at halftime. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Atlanta will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. The Hornets opened the season with a 110-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

    News and Notes:

    Gucci Mane performed at halftime.

    Hawks rookie and the league’s overall number one pick in this summer’s draft Zaccharie Risacher scored the first basket of his career on a three-pointer late in the first quarter.

    Wednesday was the first regular season game as a Nets assistant coach for Juwon Howard, the former head men’s basketball coach at the Univeristy of Michigan.


    Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Donnell began his career covering sports and news in Atlanta nearly two decades ago. Since then he has written for Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Southern Cross…
    More by Donnell Suggs

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Trae Young and Mikal Bridges’ epic overtime battle ends with Hawks’ 147-145 win over Nets

    Trae Young and Mikal Bridges’ epic overtime battle ends with Hawks’ 147-145 win over Nets

    On the eve of Thanksgiving, the Nets’ Mikal Bridges and the Hawks’ Trae Young both feasted in an instant-classic, back-and-forth overtime battle.

    In the end, Young emerged as the holiday hero.

    The 6-1 Young’s stepback jumper over 6-10 Nets center Nic Claxton with 18 seconds remaining in the extra period proved to be the game-winner in the Hawks’ 147-145 victory in Atlanta.

    Young’s 19-foot shot put the Hawks up, 144-143, marking the biggest basket in a 43-point explosion by the two-time All-Star. It was enough to spoil a similarly dominant outing by Bridges, who tied his career-high with 45 points – including 25 after the third quarter.

    Bridges scored 11 points in overtime. Young had 14. An exhilarating four-possession stretch during the final 1:11 saw one of them score each time down the floor, with the lead changing every time. There were 27 lead changes in the game.

    “In basketball, there’s one winner and one loser,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said afterward. “That’s just part of it every night.”

    The Nets had multiple chances to tie or win the game in overtime. With eight seconds remaining and Brooklyn down one point, Atlanta’s Onyeka Okongwu blocked Bridges’ driving lay-up attempt. Then, with 2.2 seconds to go and the Nets down two, a busted play led to an inbound pass to Lonnie Walker IV, who was far away from the basket and ultimately failed to get a shot off in time.

    “Last possession was for Mikal,” Vaughn said. “Pretty good look. They switched the last screen that we had, which brought Lonnie to the basketball.”

    Both teams, meanwhile, could have iced the game in regulation. Cam Johnson put the Nets ahead, 131-130, with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter when he tipped in a missed lay-up by Bridges.

    Young responded by drawing a foul on Spencer Dinwiddie, giving the Hawks star a chance to clinch the game with two free throws. But Young, an 89.7% free-throw shooter, missed the first before making the second, tying the score, 131-131. Atlanta began the game 20-for-20 from the free-throw line before Young’s miss.

    Bridges led a balanced Brooklyn attack in which four starters finished with more than 20 points. Dinwiddie scored 26 to go with 12 assists, while Claxton added a season-best 22 points along with 11 rebounds.

    Johnson, who missed seven games with a calf strain, scored a season-high 23 points and made a season-best five three-pointers. He did not play in overtime, however, with Vaughn saying afterward the sharpshooting forward began cramping at the end of regulation.

    “He should be OK,” Vaughn said.

    Bridges scored 14 fourth-quarter points. It was the fourth 40-point game of his career, with each coming after he was traded to the Nets in the February deal that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

    “We just had to keep fighting,” Bridges said. “That was everybody in the huddle. Coaches, players. We just got to keep going. There’s no quit. We just kept fighting, fighting, and almost had it.”

    A night removed from a 157-152 loss to Indiana, the Hawks didn’t look like a team playing the second game of back-to-back. Young got off to a torrid start, beginning the game 6-of-6 from three-point range during a 19-point first quarter.

    The Hawks scored 45 points in that opening period, marking the most points the Nets have surrendered in a first quarter this season. That included a 13-0 run by the Hawks, who scored 11 fastbreak points in the quarter.

    Atlanta finished with 18 fastbreak points to the Nets’ nine. Both teams entered Wednesday ranked top five in transition scoring, though the Nets’ production in that category has dipped considerably without tempo-pushing point guard Ben Simmons (lower-back nerve impingement) in the lineup the last two weeks.

    The Hawks entered Wednesday third in the NBA in scoring, averaging 122.4 points per game, but ranked 25th in allowing 120.9 points to opponents. The Nets – whose leading scorer, Cam Thomas (ankle sprain), missed his sixth straight game – took advantage of the Hawks’ porous defense, exceeding the 133 points they put up in Charlotte last month to set a new season-high.

    It wasn’t enough to overcome Young, who caught fire for the second night in a row. He scored 38 points on 13-of-17 shooting in Tuesday’s game against the Pacers, which marked the seventh time in NBA history both teams scored at least 150 points in regulation.

    Wednesday extended the Nets’ season-worst losing streak to three games. They fell to 6-8 and are now 3-1 against teams who entered with a losing record. The Hawks improved to 7-7.

    “We’ve got a good little chemistry,” Bridges said. “We’ve just got to figure out, defensively, what team we’re trying to be and figure out what we can do to not give up 147 points.”

    Next up for the Nets is a five-game homestand, which begins Saturday night when they host the Heat at Barclays Center.

    Peter Sblendorio

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  • Julius Randle arrives, Knicks survive in Atlanta to defeat Hawks in 116-114 thriller

    Julius Randle arrives, Knicks survive in Atlanta to defeat Hawks in 116-114 thriller

    ATLANTA — Julius Randle spun on the low block, pump-faked, then jumped into Hawks’s defender Saddiq Bey, warding Bey’s block attempt with one arm and double-pumping the basketball with the other for the off-handed bank shot.

    The whistle blew shortly after for the and-one.

    Randle shrugged his shoulders, as if to shed Bey’s body weight. Then he had some words for a fan sitting court side before stepping to the line and hitting his free throw.

    Two possessions later, Quentin Grimes had a dunk attempt blocked at the rim with less than three seconds left on the shot clock. Randle received the inbounds pass, then immediately rifled a no-look pass to a cutting Isaiah Hartenstein, who finished at the rim for an and-one of his own.

    A night like this has been a long time coming for Randle, who endured one of the worst opening-season stretches imaginable after enduring offseason ankle surgery.

    It’s safe to say Randle is back, and with his All-Star caliber play, so are the Knicks, who defeated the Hawks, 116-114, in front of an electric State Farm Arena crowd on Wednesday.

    The victory wasn’t without its theatrics — Randle and Hawks star Trae Young jawed back and forth and were separated by Isaiah Hartenstein, who shoved Young in the direction of his bench.

    The victory also came with its fair share of anxiety. The Hawks, on tired legs in the second leg of a back-to-back, trailed by as many as 13, and made a ferocious comeback in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as seven on a late-game run after Quentin Grimes checked himself out of the game with an apparent hand injury.

    The Knicks survived, securing their fourth win in their last five games to improve to an above-.500 record of 6-5.

    Randle had help, none from the officials, who awarded the Knicks with just nine free throws to 24 for the Hawks. With no RJ Barrett, who is day-to-day with a migraine, Josh Hart got the start — but Immanuel Quickley played the featured scoring role as the third head of the Knicks’ offensive attack.

    Randle finished with a game-high 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Jalen Brunson added another 24 points and eight assists of his own. Quickley’s shooting — 20 points off the bench on 6-of-11 shooting from the field — swung the game.

    So did Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebounding.

    Robinson finished with more rebounds (15) than both Hawks centers Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu combined (nine).

    The starting Knicks big man also impacted Hawks guard Dejounte Murray on a driving layup that would have given the Hawks a 109-108 lead with 1:51 to go in the fourth quarter.

    With less than a minute left, Randle missed a turnaround fading shot, but Robinson created an extra possession with Josh Hart the beneficiary of the offensive rebound. Hart gave the ball to Brunson, who drove baseline, then dished a no-look swipe pass to the cutting Randle, who hit a layup to five the Knicks the lead.

    On the ensuing possession, Brunson his Hawks forward Deandre Hunter with an in-and-out dribble then stopped-and-popped at the foul line for a dagger two that gave the Knicks a three-point lead with 18.8 seconds left.

    Hawks fans rose to their feet for what felt like an eternity. Murray finished with just 12 points but made a driving layup that made it a one-point game with 15 seconds left. The Hawks sent Immanuel Quickley to the line, and he made both free throws.

    Then out of the timeout, Hawks shooter Bogdan Bogdanovic — who had a team-high 28 points — up-chucked an ill-advised fading three with 15 seconds left on the clock. It air-balled, all but sealing defeat for the Hawks at home.

    Until DiVincenzo was whistled for a five-second violation while attempting to inbound the ball.

    Up three, the Knicks intentionally fouled Murray, who made the first free throw, then intentionally missed the second before the Hawks were whistled for a lane violation.

    The Knicks now travel to Washington, D.C., for a matchup with the Wizards before traveling to Charlotte for the second leg of a back-to-back against the Hornets.

    It’s clear Randle is back after a slow start to the season. And with him go the Knicks hopes for a deep playoff run.

    Kristian Winfield

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  • Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35 as Thunder rally past Hawks

    Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35 as Thunder rally past Hawks

    ATLANTA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Josh Giddey had 12 of his 17 points in the final period, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 121-114 on Monday night.

    Dejounte Murray finished with 24 points and Trae Young had 23 points and 10 assists for the Hawks (13-11), who have squandered six double-digit leads this season. They began the night tied for second-most in the NBA in that category.

    In winning its third straight, Oklahoma City (11-13) has outscored its last three opponents 106-68 in the fourth. The Thunder trailed 88-84 entering the final period.

    “It was an up and down game for us for sure, but when it really mattered it was a good gut check for us tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Kind of midway through the third to end the third and to start the fourth we were really good again. That won us the game.”

    Giddey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 91-90 for the Thunder’s first lead since late in the first. They never trailed again as Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s third-leading scorer, kept hitting free throws down the stretch. He scored 12 points in the fourth and finished 15 for 15 from the foul line, all in the second half.

    “Try to be aggressive, I try not to seek them too much, just play aggressive basketball and then when the opportunity presents itself I like to get there,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Unfortunately I didn’t get there in the first half and I knew that going into halftime that I was going to try to get there in the second half for sure.”

    Oklahoma City went on a 23-8 run over an eight-minute span until the 2:53 mark of the fourth, putting too much distance for the Hawks to overcome. Gilgeous-Alexander hit a pair of free throws to make it 111-103 with 1:04 remaining to all but finish off Atlanta.

    “I thought they were able to break down our defense early in the game and forced the defense to collapse and they had their kick-outs,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “They established the tempo that they wanted to play and with that and our help in the turnovers and outworking us on the glass, it’s going to be tough to beat them.”

    Young threw a backward pass over his right shoulder to feed Murray for a dunk that made it 63-54 early in the third, and Oklahoma City called timeout. A.J. Griffin later followed with a 3 that put the Hawks up 66-56, and Atlanta pushed the lead to 14 before the Thunder went on a 17-6 run to close within two on a pair of free throws by Gilgeous-Alexander.

    Young was 0 for 5 from the field before his baseline runner gave Atlanta a 56-52 lead in the final minute before halftime. The Hawks were ahead 59-54 at intermission.

    “The good thing about our team is we don’t give in,” Giddey said. “We play through it. When things get tough, we come together.”

    TIP-INS

    Thunder: Coach Mark Daigneault said swingman Kenrich Williams, who missed the game with a right knee sprain, isn’t expected to be sidelined for long. … Jalen Williams started instead F Aleksej Pokusevski and had 12 points in 31 minutes. … The Thunder won in Atlanta for the first time since March 2018.

    Hawks: Prior to the game, longtime TV announcer Bob Rathbun briefly lost consciousness on the court and was treated for dehydration. He was listed as stable, responsive and heading to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. … Griffin has connected on at least one 3 in nine straight games, the longest such active streak among NBA rookies.

    UP NEXT

    Thunder: At Memphis on Wednesday.

    Hawks: At New York Knicks on Wednesday.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Murray, Young lead Hawks past pesky Rockets 117-107

    Murray, Young lead Hawks past pesky Rockets 117-107

    ATLANTA — Dejounte Murray and Trae Young hardly looked like they were playing their first game together.

    Murray had 20 points, 11 assists and five steals in his Atlanta debut Wednesday night, teaming with Young for a tantalizing glimpse of what the Hawks can expect from their new backcourt tandem.

    “My goal is for me and Trae to make this team better,” Murray said after a 117-107 victory over the pesky Houston Rockets.

    On the opening night of the season in Atlanta, there were no complaints from the sellout crowd.

    Murray, an All-Star acquired from San Antonio in the Hawks’ biggest move of the offseason, was a bit more critical of the team’s performance.

    Even with four of Atlanta’s starters scoring at least 20 points, the Hawks struggled to put away a team that had the NBA’s worst record the last two years.

    “I feel like the game was too close,” said Murray, who rated his performance “6 out of 10.”

    Young had 23 points and 13 assists. For one night, at least, a pair of star point guards showed they can co-exist — and get their teammates involved, for good measure.

    “The Atlanta Hawks are not me and Trae, but we set the tone,” Murray said. “We’re gonna get better.”

    Murray became the first player since Spud Webb in 1985 to have a double-double in his Atlanta debut. But his biggest impact may have been at the defensive end, where he’s charged with helping the Hawks improve on one of their biggest problems a season ago.

    The last of his steals came after he knocked down a three-pointer.

    Murray swiped the ball from Jalen Green and dished off to Onyeka Okongwu for a lay-in that pushed the lead to 102-92 with less than 5 1/2 minutes to go.

    “We’ve challenged Trae and all the guys to get better defensively,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “That’s the key to the season.”

    The Rockets were led by Kevin Porter Jr, with 21 points, two days after he signed an $82.5 million, four-year contract extension to help lead Houston’s major rebuilding project.

    John Collins, who was the subject of incessant trade speculation during the offseason, led the Hawks with 24 points. De’Andre Hunter, his future in Atlanta solidified by a $95 million, four-year extension, chipped in with 22 points.

    The Hawks are hoping to recapture the form that carried them to the Eastern Conference final in 2021.

    Atlanta slipped to ninth in the East a season ago and needed to win two play-in games just to qualify for the postseason. The Hawks didn’t last long in the playoffs, going down in five games to top seed Miami.

    The Rockets, who had the NBA’s worst record the last two seasons, sent out a youthful lineup that included No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr.

    The former Auburn star had 17 points and seven rebounds in a promising NBA debut.

    “We were disjointed a little bit,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. ”But I loved our fight, I loved our competitiveness.”

    YOUTHFUL ROCKETS

    Of the 13 players who dressed for Houston, only two had more than three seasons of NBA experience.

    It showed.

    “There were multiple times where I sat down and told our assistants, ’Man we’re just so young,’” Silas said, managing a smile.

    Most notably, the Rockets had 16 turnovers, which the Hawks turned into 28 points. Houston scored just 13 points off turnovers.

    “It was the transition points that really hurt us the most,” Silas said. “I’m encouraged, even though we lost.”

    TIP-INS

    Rockets: Another first-round pick, Tari Eason, had eight points and seven assists in 15 minutes off the bench. … Houston outrebounded the Hawks 54-38. … Daishen Nix (sore back), Jae-Sean Tate (left ankle soreness) and rookie TyTy Washington (left knee sprain) were not available for the start of the regular season.

    Hawks: The team’s two rookies — first-rounder AJ Griffin and second-rounder Tyrese Martin — did not play. … Atlanta had 30 assists and just nine turnovers. … G Bogdan Bogdanovic was the only Atlanta player who didn’t dress for the opener. He continues to recover from right knee surgery in June.

    UP NEXT

    Rockets: Return to Houston for their home opener Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

    Hawks: Host the Orlando Magic on Friday night in the second of three straight home games to begin the season.

    ———

    Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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