The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Detroit Pistons 123-115, extending their record to 7-7 a State Farm Arena on Wednesday night.
It was a tale of two halves as Atlanta struggled in the first half, especially in the second quarter, only scoring 16 points. The Hawks got hot in the second half with better shooting and defense were some of the keys to victory.
Trae Young had a stellar game with 38 points, four rebounds and ten assists. Young hit crucial shots in the fourth quarter and overtime to give Atlanta the edge in this one. His playmaking was also vital for teammates securing timely buckets when needed. Young’s 21 points in the third quarter provided the offense with a boost and saw the Detroit lead vanish to only three points.
Clint Capela was huge and was a crucial difference in this game. Mr. Consistent scored 27 points and snagged 26 rebounds. He was a force again, and the Pistons defense had no answers.
John Collins was also huge tonight as he recorded a double-double scoring 31 points and 11 rebounds. Collins had a key block late to force the game into overtime. His improvement on the defensive end has been crucial and will only fuel this team to more victories. His aspirations are high and will only lead to his growth moving forward.
“I just want to be able to defend multiple positions. I want to be able to do it all. I want to be all-NBA,” Collins said.
The Atlanta Hawks dominated the boards and posted a plus-21 advantage on the glass. Those second-chance opportunities helped fuel runs throughout the game when the offense was struggling. A late 14-2 run in the fourth quarter allowed the Hawks to get back in the game to force overtime and eventually win.
Lloyd Pierce’s team defense was another key to victory. The ten rejections, 13 forced turnovers and a 14 point third quarter by the Pistons allowed Atlanta to establish some momentum. Without the defense stepping up, the Hawks wouldn’t have gotten a victory in this one.
“I don’t think there was any panic when we were down. We got back in the game because we were making stops,” Lloyd Pierce said.
For the Pistons, disappointment is on their minds as they squandered a 17-point lead. Detroit struggled when they needed to make shots with the offense not having much of a rhythm and shots hard to come by.
It was another great game from Jerami Grant, who recorded 32 points, six rebounds and five assists. His effort, energy, and scoring allowed Dwayne Casey’s team to jump out to an early double-digit advantage.
Blake Griffin was the second-leading scorer on the team with 17 points, adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Wayne Ellington contributed 16 points off the bench and providing a nice scoring punch for the Pistons’ offense.
Atlanta got a huge win Wednesday night, especially without all their team being in the lineup. The success can be a confidence builder going forward as this team is continuing to learn to play for one another and win close games.
Atlanta will be in Minnesota on Friday night to take on the Timberwolves at the Target Center.
