D'Angelo Russell, Nets Explode for 144 Points in Win vs. Trae Young, Hawks
The Brooklyn Nets stayed red-hot with a 144-127 win over the Atlanta Hawks Sunday, the team's fifth straight victory.
D'Angelo Russell stepped up with 32 points, seven assists and six rebounds at the Barclays Center as the Nets reached their highest scoring total of the season. They also improved to 13-18 on the year, inching into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
Trae Young scored 13 points with 10 assists as the Hawks continue to struggle regardless of opponent. They are now 6-23 on the season after seven losses in the last eight games.
Trae Young's Passing Ability Will Keep Him Productive Regardless of Scoring
Few players in the 2018 rookie class are judged as harshly on a daily basis as Young. He has had good games, but he has been questioned for his inconsistency and whether or not his positive moments are sustainable.
The complaints have been especially loud in December, with the guard shooting just 37.3 percent from the field and 17.4 percent from three in his first five games of the month.
Young looked better as a scorer against the Nets, but still didn't have his best day while finishing 4-of-10 from the field.
Still, the 20-year-old can make up for his inconsistent shooting by being a reliable playmaker leading the offense. This is what he did well Sunday, totaling 10 assists with only three turnovers.
When he drew extra attention from defenses, as he will do often in his career, he made sure to find the open man instead of forcing his own shot:
Kevin Chouinard of ATL and 29 broke down his contributions during the first half:
This helped the offense flow well whenever he was on the court, helping the rookie finish a respectable minus-seven on the court despite the 17-point loss.
Unless your name is Stephen Curry, you will have some off shooting nights. But Young can make up for it by not forcing looks and helping run the offense.
If he can do that and the Hawks eventually add more talent, he could be the franchise player Atlanta wants him to become.
Balanced Scoring Will Help Nets Remain in Playoff Contention
It has become easy to dismiss the Nets over the past few years, but they have shown in the past couple of weeks that they won't be an easy team to beat.
While the Hawks aren't the toughest opponent, Brooklyn sent a message early on with a 42-point first quarter that was the biggest in the Brooklyn era for this franchise.
The key was the ball movement to get everyone involved early:
This continued throughout the game as the Nets finished with 34 assists on 49 made baskets.
Russell was the star of the show in an incredibly efficient game, shooting 13-of-19 from the field. He also had zero turnovers to go with his seven assists.
However, the rest of the team stepped up with eight different players in double figures.
This balance has been key during the recent winning streak, especially considering Russell only had 29 points in the last three games combined.
Spencer Dinwiddie has carried the team for some nights, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Joe Harris have also had strong performances offensively. This has led to at least five players reaching double figures nearly every game, with there often being significant variety in who hits the milestone.
While most of the rotation is young and unproven, these players are proving they can score consistently, and it has led to plenty of success in recent weeks. In a weak Eastern Conference, this could be enough to continue moving up the standings.
What's Next?
Russell will get a chance at a revenge game Tuesday as the Nets host the Los Angeles Lakers. The Hawks will return home to face the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
