Trae Young Gets Hot, Lifts Atlanta Hawks Over Phoenix Suns

The Atlanta Hawks outdueled the Phoenix Suns 116-107 on Thursday night thanks to a strong shooting night from Trae Young. The diminutive two-time All Star logged 37 points, seven rebounds, 12 assists, and an assist. Young hit 10 of his 18 field goal attempts, including five of eight from deep. It wasn't all perfect; he compiled nine turnovers. Still, it was Young's best game of the new year and his most points since a December 19th win over the Orlando Magic. It was his 18th 30+ point game of the season.

The Hawks are 28-28 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, but they'll have a tough time making a deep playoff run, assuming they can make it out of the play-in tournament. It's been a bit of a disappointing year for Young. He's still averaging an impressive 27.0 points per game and a career-best 10.0 assists per game, but his efficiency has cratered. His .570 true shooting percentage is his worst since his rookie season, and he remains easily exploited on defense: he's sitting at -2.0 in defensive box plus/minus.

The Hawks host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

Photo Credit: © Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports