Trae Young scored 36 points and survived an injury scare as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 120-118 at State Farm Arena. Caris LeVert added 26 points off the bench on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. Head coach Quin Snyder touched on the importance of team cohesion, with new players adapting to different lineups and systems.
“Really, what you want, as much as anything, is you just want to be able to compete in those moments,” Snyder said of his team performing in clutch situations. “You’re not going to be perfect, but if you compete collectively, you put yourself in a position where you get a break or you make a play.”
Young took a shot to the thigh late in the third quarter. He went to the locker room for examinations. After the doctors ruled he had a left thigh contusion, he ultimately finished the game.
LeVert has been a key contributor for the Hawks
LeVert has been thrown into clutch situations since his trade from Cleveland. Despite being in Atlanta for less than one month, he credits his clutch play from his childhood.
“Whatever it takes to win,” LeVert says. “Whether that be defensively … blocking the shot, getting a rebound, getting a loose ball, making a big shot. I’m not scared of those moments. And I’ve been in a lot of them, so I think I really relish those moments, for sure.”
Young’s 23.6 points per game lead Atlanta, while his 11.6 assists per contest are the most in the league. LeVert credits Young for getting him acclimated to the team quickly.
“Tonight, we needed a scoring punch, and he’s one of those special players who can do that on any given night,” added LeVert. “He can turn it on, whether it be scoring or passing. So he’s been great to play with, and it seems like we’ve played together for longer than we have. It’s only been a few weeks, to put it in perspective, but he’s one of the best players I’ve played with.”
The Atlanta Hawks are back on the floor Monday night against Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM at State Farm Arena.
