On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks and the Utah Jazz engaged in a thrilling finish, but it was Trae Young of Atlanta who made the decisive play with an extraordinary game-winning buzzer-beater from beyond halfcourt.
Young’s 50-foot shot secured a 124-121 victory for the Hawks against the Jazz, occurring mere moments after Collin Sexton’s three-pointer tied the game at 121-121 with only 2.9 seconds left.
Young completed the game with 24 points and 20 assists, while committing only two turnovers.
Ironically, Young’s long-range attempt occurred at the conclusion of a match where he struggled with his deep shooting, hitting only two-of-nine from beyond the arc before nailing the game-winner.
“Whenever there’s time remaining, I always believe we can score,” Young mentioned, according to ESPN. “I was aware we had three seconds.” I took a few dribbles to advance toward halfcourt, ensuring I used my legs and added some lift to the ball, which was essential.
The Hawks established a 14-point lead in the first quarter in Salt Lake City, then increased their margin to 16 in the second.
But the Jazz, who have the fifth-worst NBA record, came back with a remarkable fight to make the game a back-and-forth affair for the most of the second half.
Young netted 10 of his 24 points and converted two of his three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, demonstrating all of his clutch skills.
The star guard’s night of 20 assists resulted in seven Hawks players scoring in double digits, with Clint Capela contributing 18 points and De’Andre Hunter adding 17.
“Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised Young for his efficiency and understanding of when to pass the ball as well as when to assert himself in the game by scoring.”
For the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen made a season-best eight three-pointers, ending the game with a top score of 35 points.
The victory ended a three-game losing streak for the Hawks, placing them at the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 19-18 record, and they will next travel to take on the struggling Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
The Jazz, on the other hand, currently have a record of 9-26 this season and are positioned 14th in the Western Conference.
