If there were any questions regarding whether the trade noise would affect John Collins, they were answered Wednesday night. The third-year power forward was a force on the glass and around the rim. He also hit two of his five three-point attempts, reminding the Hawks what he’s capable of — if they were ever really thinking about trading him in the first place. Atlanta needs to see what the combination of Collins, Capela, and now, the newly acquired Dewayne Dedmon can do. In the fourth quarter, Woj broke that the Hawks traded Jabari Parker and Alex Len for Dedmon and two second-round picks.
But if I said John Collins was the star of the show; I’d be lying. Once again, Trae Young lit up the arena and the stat sheet, cruising to 20 points and 7 assists in the first half. He cooled down a bit in the second half, settling for just 18 points and 4 assists, but it was plenty enough to earn the Hawks a road win.
Vince Carter only hit one bucket; however, it was a critical one to ice the game, halting the Timberwolves valiant fourth-quarter comeback. The Wolves finally decided to trap Trae Young, but he was able to find Carter wide open in the corner for a three.
All five starters finished in double-digits. De’Andre Hunter had 12 points and five boards. Kevin Huerter pitched in 11. And Damian Jones was the most efficient player on the night, scoring 14 points on 6-7 from the field. He also collected eight boards.
With Capela and Dedmon now joining the squad, it’s possible this is the last we see of Jones in a Hawks uniform. Schlenk may want to use his improved play of late and try to pick up an additional second-rounder before tomorrow’s trade deadline.
The Hawks won the game 127-120, handing the Timberwolves their 13th consecutive loss. If you think being an Atlanta fan the last couple of seasons has been tough, just imagine the poor basketball lovers in Minnesota. It seems they have been rebuilding for nearly two decades now and have absolutely nothing to show for it.
You must log in to post a comment.