Hawks' Trae Young breaks down Kyrie Irving's game-winner over Nikola Jokic: 'Details'

Atlanta Hawks (30-37) star Trae Young has missed the last 11 games following surgery on his finger.

He has maintained his presence around the team in support during his time on the shelf. And his love of the game remains as healthy as ever, exemplified in his appreciation for Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving’s game-winning shot over Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.

Irving is listed at 6-foot-2 while Jokic checks in at 6-foot-11, but the former’s teardrop – colloquially referred to as a “giant killer” in the waning moments of a 107-105 victory found its mark.

“The hesi to make him think he was shooting the 3, then getting to his spot,” Young posted on X on March 18 smh! Details.”

Irving’s finish drew praise from several other NBA stars as well, with Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard posting that Irving was the “most skilled mf ever” in an appreciation of his counterpart.

“GOD, I give you all of the glory,” Irving posted after the game.

The Hawks and Mavericks will meet once more this season, in Dallas on April 4. Dallas won the first meeting in a 148-143 barnburner.

Young, who earlier in the night showed appreciation for his team’s triumphs, is no stranger to the teardrop/floater, pairing it with his preternatural passing ability to leave defenders frozen with indecision in the paint.

The Hawks are now 6-5 in Young’s absence.

They have alternated losing and winning streaks, one each of two and three games, as injuries have sidelined two starters – Young and Saddiq Bey – and one super-sup in Onyeka Okongwu.

The Hawks unfortunately lost Bey for the season to a torn ACL. But Young is nearing his reevaluation date, projected to be around March 22. And Okongwu said that he feels close to returning.

With just 15 games to go, getting as healthy as possible is key.

While this season hasn’t gone as planned by even modest expectations, there is still time to get into a rhythm before the postseason.

The Play-In Tournament is the most likely outcome, though an outright playoff spot is well within the realm of possibility. They are 7.5 games out of the sixth seed with 15 games remaining on the regular season slate.

Once they get into the postseason, all bets are off.

The Hawks have proven they can beat anyone in a one-game setting. Their issue is they’ve also proven the opposite. And seven-game series have proven troublesome the last two years too.

This win over the Clippers showed the Hawks’ defensive capabilities when they are locked in, something Head Coach Quin Snyder has called for. If they can somehow sustain that level of intensity the rest of the way, the end of the season could pleasantly surprise.