The Atlanta Hawks have followed their four-game slide with a two-game winning streak at home following their 129-111 blowout of the floundering Orlando Magic. They have now scored 120-plus points in back-to-back games after doing so just once all season; back in late October against the Detroit Pistons.
This was the Hawks first game since it was announced that De’Andre Hunter would be out for the next eight weeks with a wrist injury that requires surgery.
Their response was one that many hoped to see, regardless of the opponent, after such a big win the night before. Instead of taking Orlando lightly, Atlanta took it right to them with four players scoring 20-plus points.
It was a dominant game inside and out.
Trae Young handled the outside part, tying for the team lead with 23 points on 42.9 percent shooting while going 3-of-7 from three. He also had six assists, four rebounds, and a steal. Young has now scored over 20 points in nine straight games just one night after falling short of a 42-point triple-double.
Nate McMillan liked the energy of his team on the second half of a back-to-back after returning from a West Coast trip. pic.twitter.com/WNereLJrcC
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) November 16, 2021
The Atlanta Hawks bigs dominated against the Orlando Magic to start a two-game win streak
The fourth-year guard has shown tremendous leadership as his team has battled through adversity to start the season. Young took it upon himself to get the team off to better starts over the past few games and it has begun to permeate throughout the team.
He entered the night averaging 31.6 points on 52.8 percent shooting overall and 52.2 percent from downtown over his last four games, best in the NBA over that time.
Young also got some help on the inside as the Hawks were plus-10 in points in the paint.