Trae Young points finger for Hawks’ offensive woes after loss to Thunder

The Atlanta Hawks had their winning streak stopped at four games with a 126-117 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 6. Atlanta shot a season-low 33.7% from the floor in this contest, including going 14-for-42 (a season-high in attempts) from beyond the arc.

“You always got to try to step your defense up, and hope your defense can carry you throughout that time you’re not shooting good,” Young said via the team. And we ended up picking up the shooting later in the game. But early in the game, it was just it wasn’t falling. We was getting – I can’t even say ‘we’re not making shots’ until I start making shots. So I wasn’t making shots.”

Young finished the game with 22 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, and one steal.

But the two-time All-Star shot just 27.8% from the floor, including 1-for-5 from deep, and had seven turnovers.

“Obviously, we were getting some good looks and they weren’t going down,” Young said. “But they’re going to fall. We’re getting great looks. And … I don’t think we’ve put together a full game yet of what we can do offensively and defensively. So I mean that’s the bright spot.”

Young is shooting just 33.6% overall and 27.3% from beyond the arc this season, both career-low marks. It is even a low for him through the first seven games in any season since he entered the league. He insisted they were getting good looks versus the Thunder, though, pointing to their cutting a 19-point deficit down to five points with under two minutes to go.

It wasn’t enough though.

Trae Young talks turnovers after Hawks’ loss vs. Thunder

At the same time, this was the fifth time in the first seven games that Young has dished out double-digit assists, the best start of his career.

“My passing has been on display for a while,” Young said. “I’ve been able to get everybody involved. For me, it’s about trying to keep my turnovers down. Tonight, I didn’t do a good job. I’ve been doing pretty good recently on taking care of the ball and things like that. But being able to get everybody involved has never been a problem for me.”

“I probably need to start being more aggressive early on and some of the turnovers would go away,” Young said.

After a three-game stretch with no more than three turnovers, Young has 12 in two games.

He had 11 over the first two games, both Hawks’ losses. But the bigger issue overall is the slow starts which finally caught up to them after facing their fourth consecutive double-digit deficit in a game.