Young Scores 38 Points, Hawks Beat Hornets 125-120

Atlanta Hawks Overcome LaMelo Ball's 34-Point Performance

Trae Young put on a scoring clinic Saturday night, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 125-120 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at the State Farm Arena.

Young finished the game with a game-high 38 points, shooting 56% from the field and draining 6 three-pointers. He also recorded 9 assists and 5 rebounds.

Despite Young's impressive performance, it was Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball who stole the show in the first half. Ball, who entered the game averaging 23.5 points per game, erupted for 20 points in the first quarter alone, including five three-pointers. He finished the game with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season.

Hornets' Slow Third Quarter Proves Costly

The Hawks, who entered the game with a 15-15 record, made their move in the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets 32-17. Charlotte shot just 28% from the field in the third quarter, including 1-of-11 from three-point range. Atlanta took advantage of Charlotte's struggles, shooting 56% from the field and hitting 4 three-pointers in the quarter.

The Hornets cut the lead to 104-97 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Hawks responded with a 7-0 run to put the game away. Clint Capela and Dejounte Murray each hit a jumper, and Young capped the run with a three-pointer to force a Hornets timeout.

The Hornets were led by Ball's 34 points. Gordon Hayward added 22 points and Terry Rozier chipped in with 21 for Charlotte, who dropped to 11-19 with the loss.

The Hawks improved to 16-15 with the win. They will hit the road for a three-game road trip, starting Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.