On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks won 116-105 against the Miami Heat in a play-in tournament game, earning the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This victory was achieved by the strong performances of Trae Young who scored 25 points and Clint Capela who grabbed 21 rebounds. Dejounte Murray also contributed to the score with 18 points. Furthermore, the Hawks also benefitted from the combined 53 points from the four reserves: Saddiq Bey, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Onyeka Okongwu, and Jalen Johnson. The result was a vengeance for Atlanta as they avenged a five-game Round 1 loss to Miami last season. With this victory, the Hawks are set to face the Boston Celtics in a first-round matchup that will start on Saturday.
While this was a win for the Hawks, Miami will host either the Toronto Raptors or the Chicago Bulls on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed and a spot against the top overall seed Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. Tyler Herro scored 26 and Jimmy Butler finished with 21 for the Heat, but Kyle Lowry scored 33 during his two Miami seasons, his highest total yet. Unfortunately, they were not enough to beat the Hawks who led the game.
Atlanta carried the day, improving their record to 3-0 in all-time play-in tournament games. They also solidified their mark of being the best record in the League, matched only by the New Orleans Pelicans as they prepare to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Overall, the Hawks earned this victory on the boards, outrebounding Miami 63-39, including 22-6 on the offensive glass. This led to a 26-6 consequential edge in second-chance points.
Regardless of this win, the Hawks must now shift their focus to their next game against the Boston Celtics, who will be a tough match in the first round. They need to maintain their level of intensity and continue to build on their successes as they progress through the playoffs.
Read Also: “Pittsburgh Pirates Show Flawless Resilience In Memorable Win Over Astros”
Recommended: Mock Draft 1.0 (No Trades)