The Atlanta Hawks got some much-needed home cooking on Sunday as they knocked off the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks 120-100. It snaps a six-game losing streak that started even before the Hawks went on the road for four straight. It also served as a bit of get-back for the Bucks win in the Eastern Conference Finals.
At the heart of the win was Trae Young who canned a career-high eight triples on his way to a big 42 points on 61.5 percent shooting from the floor and beyond the arc.
Young spoke after the game about what sparked his explosion including 15 first-quarter points.
"“Nate talked to me about not playing the first quarter like the last quarter, and mixing it up… We talked and I thought just pushing the pace would be a lot better for our team. It was great. Everybody was able to run and make plays.”"
It’s the first of five at State Farm Arena where the Hawks are now 4-1 this season as opposed to 1-8 on the road.
The Atlanta Hawks got a big win over the Bucks but it came with word of Hunter needing surgery
John Collins got 16 of his 19 points in the second half and Clint Capela had a 12-point, 13-board double-double. Kevin Huerter had 11 points in his third spot start of the season and Danilo Gallinari contributed 10 points and shot 40 percent from three off of the bench. Lou Williams also had nine points.
Unfortunately, after the game it was announced that De’Andre Hunter, who was missing this game with wrist soreness, will undergo surgery and miss the next eight weeks, putting his return sometime in January.
The Hawks are already without Onyeka Okonwu until February.