Trae Young

Stephen Curry won't be there to defend his title at the 2022 Three-Point Contest, but there is plenty of talent among the eight competitors at this year's event.

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young headlines the list alongside Fred VanVleet, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, CJ McCollum, Patty Mills, Luke Kennard and Desmond Bane. 

The shooting competition will be the second event on All-Star Saturday Night, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 19. 

VanVleet was the first player rumored to be a participant, making it a big weekend for the guard as he also takes part in his first-ever All-Star Game. The former undrafted player is averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game this season, while his 3.9 made threes per game ranks second in the NBA behind only Curry's average. 

Young has been known for his deep shots throughout his career, but he has been more efficient in 2021-22 with a career-best 37.2 percent from beyond the arc. After losing in the first round of the 2020 contest, the guard could be ready for a better showing this time around.

LaVine and Towns are also All-Stars this season, with Towns especially trying to prove himself as the only big man on the lineup. 

McCollum is an interesting name on the list as well, but mostly because he was already in the news Tuesday after being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He will hope he gets comfortable enough in his new surroundings before heading to Cleveland.

Kennard has had the best shooting season among the players involved, ranking sixth in the league with a 42.8 three-point percentage this season. Mills, Bane, Towns and LaVine are also shooting at least 40 percent on the year entering Tuesday.

The players will have a lot to live up to after an exciting competition in 2021, which featured Curry edging Mike Conley to win his second title:

Curry is one of seven players with multiple wins in the Three-Point Contest, but everyone involved this year will be looking for their first title.

The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 103-94 on Sunday at American Airlines Center to move to 31-23 on the season. The win comes after the team mounted a 16-point comeback to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 107-98 on Friday.

Sunday's win was another massive one for Dallas as both Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson were limited in the second half after racking up five fouls each. Despite being limited, Doncic still finished with a triple-double, and the bench was particularly impressive in what has been a phenomenal week for the Mavs.

Dallas is continuing to make a statement in the Western Conference, sitting in fifth place behind the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and the Utah Jazz.

Doncic has been on a tear, and he continues to be a significant reason Dallas continues to rise in the standings. His performance in Sunday's game was nothing short of impressive, especially with Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Sterling Brown and Maxi Kleber out due to injuries.

Notable Stats

Luka Doncic, PG, DAL: 18 PTS, 10 REB, 11 AST, 1 STL

Trae Young, PG, ATL: 17 PTS, 2 REB, 11 AST

Jalen Brunson, PG, DAL: 22 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL

John Collins, PF, ATL: 22 PTS, 18 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL

Reggie Bullock, SF, DAL: 22 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST,  2 STL

De'Andre Hunter, SF, ATL: 14 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST

Mavericks Depth Tested

Doncic and Brunson found themselves in foul trouble in the second half, so Mavs head coach Jason Kidd opted to bench and then rotate the two until the end of the fourth quarter when he put both players back on the floor to close out the game.

With Doncic and Brunson limited, the Dallas bench was tested against the high-scoring Hawks, and it did an impressive job of keeping the team in it until the very end.

Josh Green, Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss combined for 18 points, 13 rebounds and two assists in the win. They also played lockdown defense down the stretch, though that should come as no surprise.

The Mavericks entered Sunday's game with the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA, per NBA.com, and they held Atlanta to just 94 points. In addition, they held Young to 0-of-6 shooting from deep.

It's also important to note that the Mavs were missing Porzingis, Hardaway, Brown and Kleber. That makes the performance of their bench that much more impressive and puts into context just how deep the team is.

If the Mavericks can continue getting more contributions out of unlikely players, such as Green, the team has a great chance of making it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Trae Young, Hawks' Offense Struggles

The Hawks offense on Sunday night wasn't good, and that's putting it lightly.

Young, who has starred all season for the franchise, finished with just 17 points in what was his lowest scoring output since a Jan. 26 win over the Sacramento Kings, when he also had just 17 points.

Young also went 0-of-6 from deep, which is quite uncharacteristic for someone who entered the game making 37.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

However, this is the second straight game Young has gone without a three-pointer, having gone 0-of-4 from deep against the Toronto Raptors on Friday. It marks the first time this season that he has been held scoreless from deep in two straight games.

In addition to Young, though, the entire Hawks offense struggled. The team made just 37 of 95 shots (38.9 percent) from the floor and five of 25 (20 percent) from deep.

To put those numbers into context, the Hawks entered Sunday's game with the second-best offense in the NBA, averaging 113.5 points per game. They were also making 37.6 of their shots from deep, the best in the league.

In addition, Atlanta hadn't scored less than 100 points since a 115-91 loss to the Miami Heat on Jan. 12.

With the second half of the season well underway and the trade deadline coming up Thursday, the Hawks could look to add some reinforcements to make a push for the playoffs.

However, it all starts with the team being better on offense. If the Hawks want to make another run to the Eastern Conference Finals, they'll need to be much more consistent moving forward. 

What's Next?

The Hawks will host the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, while the Mavericks will host the Detroit Pistons.

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the red-hot Suns 124-115 on Thursday at State Farm Arena, putting an end to Phoenix's 11-game winning streak. They are now 25-26 on the season after a slow start. 

Despite being listed as day-to-day with a shoulder injury, Trae Young had another incredible performance for the Hawks. Without him, Atlanta would've found itself in a difficult spot against a Suns team that is one of the best road teams in the NBA. 

The Hawks have mostly struggled at home this season, entering with a 14-12 record. Being able to stop the Suns is quite an accomplishment. If the team can keep that momentum moving forward, it will undoubtedly have the opportunity to make the postseason in a tight Eastern Conference. 

Notable Stats

Trae Young, PG, ATL: 43 PTS, 5 AST, 1 STL

Devin Booker, SG, PHX: 32 PTS, 3 AST, 1 STL

John Collins, PF, ATL: 19 PTS, 10 REB, 1 AST

Mikal Bridges, SF, PHX: 24 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL

Kevin Huerter, SG, ATL: 19 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL

Chris Paul, PG, PHX: 18 PTS, 4 REB, 12 AST, 3 STL

Trae Young Unstoppable in Return From Injury

Young missed Monday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a shoulder contusion, and he returned on Thursday against the Suns despite still feeling sore.

Even though he still wasn't 100 percent, the 23-year-old was the best player on the court and was a significant reason why the Hawks ended the Suns' winning streak.

Young finished with 43 points, five assists and one steal on 16 of 25 shooting from the floor and six of 11 shooting from deep.

Performances like this from Young have become all too common, so we shouldn't necessarily be surprised that he can put up solid numbers when not 100 percent.

The All-Star entered Thursday's game averaging 27.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from deep. His average in points is the fourth-most in the NBA behind Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While Young is known to put up some pretty magnificent performances, some of those have been marred by the inconsistencies of his teammates, which have led to blown leads and losses.

Moving forward, Young's supporting cast will need to contribute like they did on Thursday night if the Hawks want to better their positioning in a tight Eastern Conference.

John Collins, De'Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter were all impressive Thursday night. They need to keep that momentum moving forward.

Deandre Ayton Still Trying to Find Footing Since Return From Ankle Injury 

Ayton recently returned to the Suns' lineup Tuesday after missing seven games with an ankle injury. After his performance in Thursday's game against Atlanta, it's clear he's still trying to find his footing.

In Tuesday's win over the Brooklyn Nets, the 23-year-old finished with 12 points and six rebounds. On Thursday against the Hawks, he finished with six points, nine rebounds and four assists. 

For comparison, Ayton entered Thursday's game averaging 16.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

The Hawks had their way in the paint and around the rim on Thursday night, finishing with 40 points in the paint and six offensive rebounds. Things could have gone much differently if Ayton had done a better job on defense.

Suns head coach Monty Williams ultimately decided to bench Ayton after he played just 24 minutes, signaling that he needed to be better. Though it should be noted there wasn't much anyone on the Suns could do to stop Young.

Ayton has been somewhat inconsistent this season, and if the Suns want to hold onto their top spot in the Western Conference, they'll need him to be better moving forward.

It'll also be important for Ayton individually to step up as he'll be looking to sign a large contract during the offseason.

What's Next?

The Hawks will travel to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday, while the Suns will be on the road to take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday. 

The Atlanta Hawks came alive in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 129-121 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, but head coach Nate McMillan was concerned with how they played before winning the final period by 18 points.

McMillan told reporters Atlanta was "emotionally drunk" at times during the contest before it calmed down at winning time.

For his part, Trae Young pointed to the officiating and said, "When Tony Brothers mentions to me how many years he's reffed in this league, I don't give a damn. That just gets fired me up. I don't think I'm emotionally drunk. I'm just competitive. It brings the best out of me and my teammates."

Young was issued a technical foul during the second quarter, though he finished with 36 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in the win.

He also took over in crunch time with a go-ahead three-pointer with just more than six minutes remaining before he scored eight points in the final three minutes. It wasn't a one-man show, though, as John Collins notched a double-double of 20 points and 11 boards as one of five Hawks to score in double figures.

Frankly, it was a game the Hawks should have won.

They were at home against a Lakers squad that was missing LeBron James. Los Angeles has struggled to live up to expectations with James this season, so it is particularly vulnerable without its star player on the floor.

The Lakers fell to 24-27 overall and 3-8 in the last 11 games as they continue to tumble down the Western Conference standings as a flawed team that will likely need James and Anthony Davis to play at an unreal level to challenge the best teams in the league come playoff time.

Perhaps McMillan saw an opportunity to notch a straightforward win against a LeBron-less club and grew frustrated with his team's showing until it took over down the stretch. It is also notable Young mentioned an official by name, which likely won't earn him many calls the next time Brothers works a Hawks game.

Ultimately, Atlanta improved to 24-25 with its seventh consecutive victory. It may not reach the Eastern Conference Finals again this season, but the version that has been on the floor lately could challenge some of the top seeds in a series.

That is, only if the players aren't "emotionally drunk" during the games.         

NBA 2K22 announced a new update to its player ratings Thursday, and two MVP candidates and two of the best young point guards in the league highlighted the list.

Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan saw a two-point bump to a 90 overall, while reigning NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is now a 97 overall after the Milwaukee Bucks' leader saw a one-point boost.

Elsewhere, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is now a 92 overall after a two-point increase, and Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young is a 91 after his own one-point bump.

The foursome were far from the only notable players to see an increase in their ratings.

James Harden (+1 to 90), Jaylen Brown (+2 to 87), Kristaps Porzingis (+1 to 86), Deandre Ayton (+1 to 87), Fred VanVleet (+3 to 86) and Kyle Kuzma (+3 to 82) were also among those who saw their totals increase with the latest update.

The multi-point increase for Morant stands out considering his Grizzlies are playing some of the best basketball in the league. They have won 10 games in a row during a stretch that includes victories over the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers (twice), Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns.

These are far from the league's worst teams that Memphis is beating, and Morant's ability to take over games has his team feeling like more than just a potential playoff spoiler and perhaps a squad that can make a deep run in the Western Conference playoffs.

Chicago feels that way in the Eastern Conference as the No. 1 seed with a 27-12 record.

While there was plenty of doubt about DeRozan's fit in the Windy City heading into the season, it has been nothing but a success. He has multiple game-winners under his belt and is averaging 26.0 points per game as part of a dynamic duo alongside Zach LaVine.

Yet the Bulls will likely have to find a way past the defending-champion Bucks if they are going to parlay their quick start into an NBA Finals appearance. Antetokounmpo is playing like an MVP once again and received the corresponding increase to his virtual rating as a result.

A playoff showdown between DeRozan and Antetokounmpo would be appointment viewing and would be quite the matchup in NBA2K as well.               

Trae Young scored 56 points and dished out 14 assists while helping lead the Atlanta Hawks to 131 points during Monday's game.

Turns out, even that wasn't enough to win.

That's because Atlanta's defense allowed 136 points to a Portland Trail Blazers squad that was playing without Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Young opened up about the frustrations that come with his team struggling on the defensive end after the loss

"It's frustrating. It's not fun," Young said, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "Being one of the best offensive teams in the league is a really good thing, but when you're letting teams score as much as you, it's not good for your team. We got to figure it out. We have time to figure it out. We have to do it. We have to keep the offense the way it's been going. We have to get more stops."

Expectations were high coming into the season for the Hawks, and for good reason.

They reached the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020-21 campaign and had Young coming back as one of the most promising young playmakers in the league. That he was coming off a breakout performance in the playoffs only led to more optimism.

However, Monday's loss dropped them to 16-20 and 12th place in the Eastern Conference. They are closer to the 14th-placed Detroit Pistons (7-28) than the conference-leading Chicago Bulls (25-10), and they don't look nearly as dangerous for the top teams in the East.

The struggles on one end of the floor are almost solely to blame.

Atlanta is an ugly 27th in the league in defensive rating, which stands in stark contrast to its second-best offensive rating behind only the Utah Jazz, per NBA.com.

For as excellent as Young is, his struggles on defense have been a concern. The team's defensive rating is 105.7 when he is off the floor but 114.7 when he's on it. What's more, opponents shoot 1.5 percent better than their normal averages overall and 8.4 percent better within six feet of the basket when he is guarding them.

Young recognized the defensive woes in his comments and stressed the Hawks still have plenty of time to figure things out as they look to play their way back into the postseason picture.

That starts Wednesday with a matchup against the Sacramento Kings.                

Trae Young did everything he could to lift the Atlanta Hawks to victory Monday night, but it wasn't enough as they suffered a 136-131 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Young dropped a career-high 56 points—the second 50-point game of his career—along with 14 assists to go with just four turnovers. He shot 17-of-26 from the floor and 7-of-12 from three.

According to the Hawks, no other player in NBA history has ever matched Young's numbers:

The 2019-20 All-Star opened with 16 points and five dimes in the first quarter and didn't slow down from there. By the end, though, Atlanta's supporting cast was running out of steam. Young accounted for 15 of the Hawks' 26 points in the fourth quarter.

His performance caught the eye of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant:

But this probably isn't the company Young wanted to join:

The result is also emblematic of a season that's falling well short of Atlanta's expectations. 

The Hawks rank 25th in defensive rating (112.3), per NBA.com, and their leaky defense was on full display. Not only did the Trail Blazers shoot 52.8 percent overall—18-of-41 on three-pointers—but they also did so without either Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum. Both stars were unavailable for non-COVID reasons.

Young's offensive contributions were somewhat undercut by the fact Anfernee Simons poured in 43 points on the other end of the court. He wasn't having much luck slowing Simons down, either.

At 16-20, the Hawks sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for the final play-in spot.

On the heels of reaching the conference finals last year, Young was candid when he said the regular season is "a lot more boring than the playoffs" and that emulating a postseason-like level of motivation night in, night out can be difficult.

Young certainly rose to the occasion Monday. The effort wasn't exactly there from the rest of the roster.

If fans are having trouble keeping up with the many new players being cycled in and out of the NBA due to health and safety protocols, just imagine trying to be a player not knowing who will be suiting up on any given night.

Speaking to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner after Wednesday's 131-117 loss to the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young admitted he arrived at the team's shootaround before tipoff "not knowing most of my teammates."

The NBA has adjusted its rules in-season so that teams can sign players under a hardship exception that allows them to exceed the traditional 15-player roster limit. The move was done in order to accommodate potential absences for injury or health and safety protocols.

As of Wednesday, per Gilbert McGregor of Sporting News, there are 129 people in the NBA's health and safety protocols between players and head coaches.

The Hawks currently have a league-high 12 players unavailable because of protocols, including starters John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter.

Atlanta's starting five against the Bulls included Young, Chaundee Brown, Cam Reddish, Skylar Mays and Clint Capela.

Mays, a second-round draft pick in 2020, did appear in 33 games off the bench as a rookie. He has started three of the past five games for the Hawks.

Brown, an undrafted rookie out of Michigan, signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in November. He appeared in two games with the Lakers earlier this month before being waived Dec. 21. Atlanta then signed him to a 10-day contract.

Three of the Hawks' five bench players who played against the Bulls have a combined 11 games of NBA experience, including Wednesday's game.

A total of 23 players have already appeared in a game for the Hawks this season. Only 18 players appeared in a game with the team during the entire 2020-21 season.