INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Trae Young made two crucial free throws in the final seconds of the game to help the Atlanta Hawks fend off the Indiana Pacers 114-111 on Wednesday night.
Pacers rookie Chris Duarte came up with a steal late in the game, but was unable to convert a contested layup. Young was subsequently fouled and made the final two of his 33 points.
After the final buzzer, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle yelled at the referees about the lack of a call on the Duarte drive.
Young also had 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Hawks, who shot 51.2% (44 of 86), including 16 of 33 on 3-pointers. Young found backcourt mate Kevin Huerter for several open looks as Huerter finished with 19 points, and John Collins scored 14.
Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers with 27 points. Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Myles Turner had 17 points and nine rebounds.
The Hawks were hot from the outset, hitting 8 of 10 3s, but the Pacers stayed close on 17-of-31 shooting. Atlanta led 45-42 midway through the second quarter, but Turner sank a pair of free throws to make it 51-all with 4:26 remaining in the first half.
The visitors closed the first half with a 12-4 surge to take a 65-57 lead into the break. The last basket punctuated the run as Young fed Collins for an alley-oop dunk in the final seconds.
Atlanta made 25 of 42 shots (59.5%), including 10 of 15 3s, in the first half.
Young hit a step-back jumper to provide the Hawks' largest lead at 74-62 with 7:45 remaining in the third. The Pacers rallied with a 15-2 run to nudge ahead. Indiana was ahead 88-87 entering the fourth.
MCMILLAN ABSENT
Hawks coach Nate McMillan opted to be isolated — at least temporarily — after his son and assistant coach Jamelle McMillan entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. McMillan said the decision to not coach against his former team was “out of an abundance of caution.” He was on the Pacers staff for seven years, the last four as coach, before being fired in 2020.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Improved to 4-8 in road games. ... Young has been so successful against the New York Knicks, he received one write-in vote in November's mayoral election, the New York City Board of Elections reported Wednesday. The point guard delivered clutch performances in a playoff series win over the Knicks last spring.
Pacers: Reserve guard T.J. McConnell exited early with a right wrist injury. ... This was the first of six consecutive home games. ... Sabonis had his 17th triple-double. Monday's triple-double at Minnesota included a career-high 25 rebounds, the first time an NBA player has had as many rebounds in a triple-double since Shaquille O'Neal in 1993.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Philadelphia on Friday.
Pacers: Host Miami on Friday.
