The Atlanta Hawks (7-7) were back in action on Wednesday night as they hosted the now (3-11) Detroit Pistons.
The Atlanta Hawks came into the game short handed as Cam Reddish and DeAndre Hunter both missed the game with minor injuries. Both teams seemed focused to begin the game but three players stood out in the first half. Pistons star Jerami Grant and Hawks big men John Collins and Clint Capela.
In the first half, Jerami Grant scored 15 points on (6-9) shooting from the field. Grant also grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 3 assists before the half.
Hawks bigs John Collins and Clint Capela were both active scoring and rebounding the basketball. Collins and Capela both scored 14 points each before halftime. Clint Capela also grabbed 15 rebounds.
The Pistons bench was very effective in the first half out scoring the Hawks bench (17-0). The Pistons took a seven point lead into halftime (52-45).
The Pistons came out of the halftime break poised and maintained a double digit lead despite one hell of a quarter from Hawks star Trae Young. In the third quarter alone, Trae Young put up 21 points. It was the sixth time in Hawks history that Trae Young had scored 20 plus points on more in a quarter.
Things seemed dim early in the fourth quarter for the Atlanta Hawks but they never stopped fighting and climbed back into the game. Thanks to a (16-4) run late in the fourth, the Hawks cut the Pistons lead to (103-98) with under two minutes remaining in the game.
After the Hawks cut the Pistons lead, Pistons star Blake Griffin was fouled after connecting on a circle style layup to extend Detroit’s lead to (106-101) with under a minute remaining.
After a few bad shots by the Pistons down the stretch, the Hawks were able to tie the game (106-106) with 5.4 seconds left in the game. The Pistons had the chance to win it in regulation but couldn’t get it done. Jeremi Grant drove to the basket as the clock winded down but a block but Hawks big man John Collins sent the game into overtime.
In overtime, Clint Capela, John Collins and Trae Young put the game on their backs and helped Atlanta go on a (10-0) run. Trae Young sealed the deal with under a minute left in overtime hitting a dagger three pointer from nearly half court.
The Hawks overcame trailing by 17 points to pick up the win over Detroit (123-115).
For the Hawks, Clint Capela grabbed a career high 26 rebounds to go along with 27 points. Trae Young stepped up big in the second half and overtime. After finishing the first half with just 6 points, Trae scored 32 points in the second half and overtime to finish the night with 38 points.
John Collins was also key to the Hawks victory. Collins finished the night with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Due to the Hawks short handed lineup, Trae Young played 44 minutes, John Collins played 43 minutes and Clint Capela accounted for 38 minutes.
Tonight was Trae Young’s sixth career 35 plus plus /10 plus assist game. That is the most from a player before turning 23 years old since 1983. The Hawks also outscored Detroit (41-16) over the last 11:52 of regulation and overtime.
According to the Hawks PR team, Clint Capela has Atlanta’s first 25 point/25 rebound game since Dikembe Mutombo on 12/14/99 vs. MIN (27 pts/29 rebs). Capela is also the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2004 to record a 25 plus point, 25 plus rebounds and 5 plus block night.
For the Pistons, Jerami Grant finished the night with 32 points. Blake Griffin finished the game with 17 points.
Watch a few highlights from the Pistons vs. Hawks game above.
The Hawks are back in action on Friday night as they head to Minnesota to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
