Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points in the win over the Phoenix Suns on January 14. It was the Hawks’ first game since January 9 after their matchup against the Houston Rockets was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Hawks had not played at home in State Farm Arena since mid-December.
This win was also rare for two very notable reasons, the first being Young’s point-heavy final stat line.
Young finished with 3 rebounds and 3 steals, but he notably had 5 assists. It is just the 10th time this season he has finished with fewer than 10 assists in a game. Young has been focused on distributing the ball, leading the league with 12.1 assists per game this season.
Four of those missed opportunities have come in the last six games.
Even more notably, the Hawks were 4-6 in those games before taking down the Suns on Tuesday night.
Trae was getting bucket buckets for a season-high 43 points last night ❄️🪣@TheTraeYoung x @UPS pic.twitter.com/G2TqFNrex4
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 15, 2025
The last time the Hawks had won a game in which Young had fewer than 10 assists was on December 23 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And the Hawks bucked another ominous trend with the victory too.
They were 6-12 against the Western Conference coming in.
That matters more for the postseason, and even then really not until the NBA Finals. But it is encouraging given how poorly their road trip went and the overall record against the West.
Hawks hit the road again
The worst part about the Hawks’ matchup against the Houston Rockets getting postponed is that it robbed Atlanta of one of two home games before they headed back out on the road. This game starts a three-game trek for the Hawks.
They will visit the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks after traveling to face the Bulls.
The Hawks will return home for another homestand, this time for three games with one against the Detroit Pistons and two against the Toronto Raptors.
But then it is right back out on the road for a four-game stretch. That trip – featuring the Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, and Pistons – gives way to a two-game stint at home that sandwiches the trade deadline.
The Hawks are 11-7 and 9-11 on the road entering tonight’s tilt.
They might need and get more dimes with fewer points from Young, but they did beat the Bulls in their last meeting earlier this season. It would be a nice way to kick off the current road trip.