The Atlanta Hawks hosted the Houston Rockets Tuesday Night at State Farm Arena. The night would be a special one as it boasted a championship celebration and two records taking form before our very eyes.
Although the Hawks lost 121-105 to the visiting Rockets, the first order of business was celebrating the team that brought an end to the championship drought, Atlanta United. The team was honored during a break and brought along the MLS Cup trophy to share with the fans.
For the Hawks, rookie sensation Trae Young put up 21 points and 12 assists on the night. His 24th double-double of the season is the second-most among first-year players this season and most among Eastern Conference rookies. John Collins also had a double-double putting up 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
All of these accomplishments were overshadowed by the performance put on by James Harden. His double-double performance (31 points, 10 assists) was shared with teammate Chris Paul (13 points, 11 assists) but his 31 points are what made a statement. With that, he becomes the first player in NBA history to have scored at least 30 points against every opponent in the league.
Harden found support from Eric Gordon (12 points) and Clint Capela’s double-double (26 points, 11 rebounds) during the Rockets victory. You know the night is special Harden’s 31 points takes attention away from the fact he was two rebounds shy of a triple-double.
The Hawks suffered their third straight loss. They’ll prepare to host the Utah Jazz Thursday and the 76ers on Saturday.
-Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright
THE PEACH REVIEW® 