The Atlanta Hawks face the Miami Heat on Saturday and this could be a big game for Hawks star Trae Young.
The three-time All-Star averages 22.2 points per game against the Heat in his career.
Trae Young’s scoring issues against Heat loom large for Hawks
That is his third-fewest against any team. It is a fitting mark. A loss to the Heat in the 2021-22 playoffs led to the Hawks’ trade for Dejounte Murray. The goal was to prevent teams from loading up defensively against Young.
The result was inconsistency at best and a lack of cohesion between the star guards and friends.
Fast forward, and the Hawks have gone back to the formula they employed before that fateful playoff series: surrounding Young with length, athleticism, and defense. Against a depleted Heat team – the Hawks have injury issues of their own – Young should find easier sledding.
An @emoryhealthcare injury update for today’s game vs. Miami:
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 28, 2024
Dyson Daniels (illness): Questionable https://t.co/Yq5UTN8wiK
Organizational dysfunction
Both Hawks and Heat come in riding two-game winning streaks. But for the first time in a while, the former looks like the more stable franchise.
The Heat also sit one spot higher than the Hawks in the Eastern Conference standings.
While the Hawks do have a chance to leapfrog the Heat in the standings with a win, it is the latter’s current state that could (and perhaps should) allow the former to do so. Miami is currently without superstar forward Jimmy Butler.
He has missed each of their last three games with a stomach ailment. Butler has also expressed his desire to be traded, to which the Heat have publicly declined.
Statement from Pat Riley
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 26, 2024
"We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear - We are not trading Jimmy Butler."
The Heat still have leading scorer Tyler Herro. And their third-leading scorer, big man Bam Adebayo, is not too far off Butler’s pace. Still, losing a two-way presence like Butler is a big blow for the Heat.
The Hawks must make them pay for not having him, which means a heavy dose of Zaccharie Risacher or, even more, De’Andre Hunter offensively.
That should help open things up for Trae Young and Dyson Daniels, who have easier matchups.
Scheduling look ahead
The Hawks cannot get caught looking ahead in this one. That should not be an issue given these two teams’ recent history together. But it remains something to watch for a Hawks team that is still prone to lulls.
Still, the Hawks face the Toronto Raptors tomorrow as the first leg of a home-and-home.
The Hawks are 2-3 this season on the second night of a back-to-back, though this year’s Raptors are far from a daunting challenge.
Notably, the Hawks have not played either the Heat or the Raptors this season, so it is unclear exactly how well they match up. But their (Atlanta) newfound defensive prowess figures to hold up in most matchups, and these should be no different.
The Hawks can leapfrog a contender and pad their margin against a cellar-dweller.