Ahead of Trae Young making his debut for his new team, the Washington Wizards, he was ejected for going onto the court during an altercation on Monday evening against the Houston Rockets.

Young will make his Wizards debut on Thursday, but he decided to make an impact before he returns to action. The sequence happened in the third quarter when Rockets forward Tari Eason shoved Wizards guard Jamir Watkins to the ground, and no foul was called.

The two would continue to go at it, with a foul eventually being called, requiring the two teams to be separated. Four players would get called for technical fouls: Eason, Watkins, Young and Shariffe Cooper.

Young walked onto the court to argue with the official, and, under NBA rules prohibiting players on the bench from entering the court of play, he would be ejected. Young could potentially face a suspension because we have seen players face harsh penalties for going on the court.

Following his ejection, Young took to his X account to say, “Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times, D.C…. but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”

The Wizards have been patiently waiting for Young to make his debut after trading for him back in January, sending Corey Kispert and C.J. McCollum to the Atlanta Hawks.

A pump fake is supposed to be utilized to create an opportunity on offense or to make a shot easier for yourself. They’re certainly not supposed to be used on referees. The NBA said, “he was making a mockery of the game.”

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young was ejected late in the Hawks’ play-in game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Following a made basket by Young, he rocketed a pass toward referee James Williams, leading to his first technical of the night. He followed up his rocketed pass by kicking the ball, pump faking Williams and refusing to give him the ball.

That action led to his second technical and likely a fine.

Frustrations boiled over for Young, as the Hawks fell 120-95. The Magic controlled the game throughout, never losing the lead after the first quarter. A run by the Hawks cut the lead down to three late in the third, only for the Magic to respond with a dominant fourth quarter.

Young finished with 28 points on 8-21 shooting and six assists. He was the Hawks’ leading scorer.

When asked about his actions, Young was clear on why his emotions boiled over.

“Sometimes when I take my frustration out on the refs, it’s not just for me,” Young said. “If you see a foul, you should call a foul. That’s pretty much all it was for me.”

With the loss to the Magic, the Hawks will play the winner of the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat on Friday. The Hawks need to win that game to stay in the playoffs.

The Magic will play the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, where the Celtics will be heavy favorites.

The NBA issued a $100,000 fine to the Atlanta Hawks for violating the player participation policy. After an investigation, the league found that Hawks point guard Trae Young sat out an NBA Cup game on Nov. 12 despite being healthy enough to play.

“Following an investigation, including review by an independent physician, the NBA determined that the Hawks held Young out of a game that he could have played in under the medical standard in the policy,” NBA officials said in a statement.

At the time, the Hawks claimed that Young had to miss the game because of Achilles tendinitis. It has since been revealed that Young was healthy enough to compete, however, which violates the stricter participation policy the league instituted in 2023. Specifically, the rules forbid a list of “star” players from sitting out NBA Cup or nationally televised games without a legitimate reason.

The motivation behind this specific clause in the policy is clear, as the NBA is clearly trying to increase fan engagement in the early parts of the regular season. In the era of load management, teams have made it a habit of resting notable players in order to save them for more important games late in the season. This has diminished the value of regular season games in the public eye.

Several people have been critical of the league’s investigation, which included an assessment from an independent physician. Some have claimed that double-guessing a team’s evaluation of an injury in the interest of increased viewership could put players at risk in the future.

With a $100,000 fine hanging over teams’ heads, players may be more likely to play through medical issues. This could aggravate minor injuries and turn them into long-term setbacks, which would have the opposite effect that the policy set out to achieve.

The San Antonio Spurs have long been rumored to be pursuing Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young, with the NBA Draft fast approaching. However, while experts have speculated for weeks about the chance to pair Young with rising star Victor Wembanyama, new reports suggest that the team is not nearly as interested as once thought.

Yahoo! Sports’ Jack Fischer reported Wednesday that the Spurs have not engaged in serious trade talks for Young. Though Fischer implied that it would be foolish for the team not to consider such a possibility, he claims that the team has shown “little interest.”

This report puts the Hawks, who have landed the first overall pick in this year’s draft under improbable circumstances, in an even more difficult position. The team has found a modicum of success in recent years with Young, but beyond a 2021 conference final appearance, Atlanta has hit a ceiling. The team’s draft pick fortune would provide some answers, but this year’s draft class is widely considered weak, and the first overall pick does not hold nearly as much value as it has in past years.

The Spurs, meanwhile, are in the middle of a rebuild and must begin forming a team around Wembanyama. That’s an excellent starting point, but the team still needs more star power. Young is one of many potential trade candidates, but the Hawks’ star has some apparent strings attached. In addition to an attitude problem, he has proven to be a defensive liability, in stark contrast to Wembanyama’s all-around ability.

As the Spurs intend to keep their options open and wait to see if players like Donovan Mitchell or Brandon Ingram become available, the Hawks will be left to their own devices as they consider their options for current rostered players and eventual draft acquisitions. The team has wallowed in the Play-In Tournament for two straight years, an unfortunate state of limbo for a young team trying to form an identity.

Atlanta is bringing back their guard, as the Hawks extend Dejounte Murray and sign him to a four-year, veteran maximum worth $120 million that also includes a player option, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The 26-year-old point guard was traded from San Antonio back in June 2022 last offseason for Danilo Gallinari, now with Washington Wizards, and three first-round picks. Hawks also received Jock Landale, now on the Houston Rockets, and swapped picks in 2026 with the Spurs.

Due to the NBA’s new extension rules, Atlanta was able to make a deal like this under a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA now allows teams to offer 140% of the player’s previous salary or the estimated average salary as the starting salary of a new extension, as it was previously only 120%. Murray doesn’t fall under the super-max category due to eligibility, so he was limited to a 40% raise in the first season of a new deal. Now, the All-Star is slated to make a little over $18 million in guaranteed salary for 2023, as the incentives in the deal are TBD as of now.

Last season, the Hawks traded for Murray in hopes of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals again. However, that didn’t happen, as their 2022-2023 season was disappointing even at 41-41. The previous season, Atlanta went 43-39, and even the year before that, went 41-31. This past season, the Hawks were bounced 2-4 in the opening round by the Boston Celtics, and the previous year, it was the Miami Heat 1-4. Atlanta will look to recapture their 2020-2021 season magic, as they made it to the Eastern Conference finals before getting beaten by Milwaukee Bucks 2-4.

But with this new extension, the duo of Murray and superstar Trae Young will continue to grow, as they make up one of the better and younger pairings in the NBA. With Young in their first year together, he averaged 20.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 6.1 APG while shooting 34.4% from the 3PT range, displaying his value as an elite two-way player. The former first-rounder from 2016 also is the second player in franchise history to average at least 20.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG for Atlanta.

Murray had one year left on the previous contract he signed with the Spurs and was slated to become a free agent next offseason, but decided to stay with the Hawks. Now it’s up to Atlanta to build around him and Young, so hopefully their stint in the playoffs is longer than previous years.

Party like it’s 80 million years ago: the Raptors are going to the playoffs!

Devin Booker is probably happy.

A 118-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night clinched the postseason for Toronto, which got 31 points and 13 rebounds from Pascal Siakam and 19 points and 14 rebounds from Scottie Barnes.

Chris Boucher scored 18 points, Gary Trent Jr. 14, and Fred VanVleet 12 in the win.

Trae Young had 26 points and 15 assists in defeat, while the Hawks lost for the first time in six tries and can now finish no higher than seventh in the conference. Teams finishing in 7-10 in each conference must partake in the play-in tournament.

“Obviously we wish we were higher in the standings but we’re not,” Young said. “We are where we are. We’ve got to take care of business with what’s ahead of us.”

Toronto (46-33) has now won 12 of its last 16 games and has clinched at worst the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’ll next host the 76ers on Thursday, then the Rockets on Friday before closing out the season on Sunday at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks.

“We did what we set out to do in the regular season,” VanVleet said. “Now it’s time to go see what we can do.”

“They found a way to grind out enough wins to get them in this situation,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “I don’t think they were picked to be here, so that’s always a good accomplishment.”

The Hawks next host Washington on Wednesday before finishing the season with games at Miami and Houston. The team is 15-24 on the road this season—fewer road wins than any postseason contender in either conference.

The starters for this year’s NBA All-Star Game were announced on Thursday, and the usual suspects were there, as were some new ones.

Los Angeles Lakers uber star LeBron James was named Captain of the Western Conference—it’s his 18th time being named an All-Star, tying Kobe Bryant for second place all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19).

James will be making a return to Cleveland—the love-hate place where he not only grew up but also began his NBA career—for the All-Star Game, taking place on February 10.

“King James” will be joined by Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins as West starters. It’s Curry’s eight All-Star selection and the reigning MVP Jokic’s fourth, while Morant and Wiggins are making their debuts.

“I was taking my pregame nap,” Wiggins said, “and my girl and daughter woke me up and told me: ‘You are a starter, you are a starter.’ I thought I was dreaming for a second. I was like, ‘What is going on?’ It was a good way to learn that I made it to the All-Star, and I am thankful.

“I have been putting in a lot of work and I have found a home here. Hopefully, I can keep it going and this is not the last one.”

Although he will not be playing, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will be the captain of the Eastern Conference’s team. Joining the 12-time All-Star is Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It’s Antetokounmpo’s sixth selection—matching Abdul-Jabbar’s Bucks franchise record for selections—the fifth for Embiid and second for Young.

Fan votes accounted for 50% of the vote, with a media panel and current players each accounting for 25%. The reserves will be announced on February 3; they’re voted on by head coaches.

Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins has agreed to a five-year, $125 million deal to stay with the team.

Collins is coming off a season where he averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for a Hawks team that made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals before being eliminated in six games by the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

He had turned down an extension worth approximately $90 million before the start of the 2020-21 season in an attempt to earn more the following summer in restricted free agency.

He was expected to get offers from several teams, with the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs showing significant interest. Once those three teams used their cap space elsewhere, the path was cleared for Collins to return to the team that drafted him with the 19th overall pick back in 2017, who improved their original offer after his contributions towards one of the best seasons in franchise history.

Star point guard Trae Young is staying put in Atlanta, signing with the Hawks for five years through the 2026-2027 season.

The deal is worth as much as $207 million. His base pay is $172 million, however if he reaches the All-Star Game he could be paid as much as $207 million.

Young played in 63 games in 2021. He averaged 25.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game while shooting an impressive 43.8 percent from the floor. He also led the entirety of the NBA in made free throws with 484.

Young’s season was also highlighted by upset victories over the Knicks and the 76ers during the NBA Playoffs. Young even notched two victories against the eventual champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even with the signing, Atlanta still has approximately $67.5 million in cap space as well as $4.1 million in luxury tax room.

Team USA basketball is scrambling to find a replacement after Bradley Beal went into COVID-19 protocols earlier this week. While no replacement has been confirmed, one NBA star is undoubtedly out of the running: Trae Young.

Young tweeted a not-so-cryptic post yesterday that included an excerpt of Isiah Thomas discussing his upsetness with being left off the 1992 Olympic squad.

Regardless of regular-season averages of 25.3 points and 9.4 assists, as well as topping 30 points in the playoffs in eight different games, Team USA did not find a need for Young’s services.

They absolutely should have taken Young, as the team lost its first two exhibition games, failing to beat both Nigeria and Australia.

Team USA has won gold in 17 of the 19 Olympics it has participated in.

The Milwaukee Bucks are now one win away from the NBA Finals after beating the Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday night. Both teams were without their main scorers in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young.

Bucks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer was able to adjust the team’s offensive style in the absence of Antetokounmpo. The shift in offensive tempo allowed center Brook Lopez to shine in Thursday’s win. Lopez scored 33 points, mainly through pick-and-rolls and dunks. Lopez utilized his size advantage to wreak havoc and score from inside the paint. It was a blast from the past for the big man. Vintage Lopez used to score over 20 points, usually from the low post during his days with the Brooklyn Nets.

It was not just Lopez who contributed in the win, but it was rather a team effort. All-Star Khris Middleton produced 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Jrue Holiday had 25 points and 13 assists. Holiday ran the pick-and-rolls that allowed Lopez to score.

The Bucks were also forcing the Hawks into turnovers. Atlanta committed 14 turnovers, and Milwaukee scored 16 points off of Atlanta’s mistakes. This game was a lesson for the young Hawks. They need to fix their interior defense if they want to stay alive. Milwaukee’s defense also did a great job limiting the Hawks’ ball movement.

The Hawks were led by Bogdan Bogdanovic, who had 28 points. Bogdanovic provided a glimmer of hope but it just wasn’t enough. However, if Bogdanovic could score more when Young hopefully returns for Game 6, it will take pressure off the All-Star point guard.

Milwaukee is one win away from making the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

Game 6 will tip-off on Saturday in Atlanta. It’s do-or-die time for the Hawks.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks easily cruised to a Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks completed a 110-88 rout of the Bucks to even the series.

Heading into Tuesday’s game, the Bucks were the favorites to win it since Hawks’ star Trae Young was ruled out just before game time due to a fluke injury. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, they were unprepared for the scoring of Lou Williams (21 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 points).

The Hawks started the game with a quick 15-5 run that set the tone for Milwaukee’s shooting woes. Williams finished the first half scoring 13 points as Atlanta held a 51-38 lead at halftime. The Hawks never trailed; it was a wire-to-wire victory.

Five minutes into the third quarter, Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game with an injury. Antetokounmpo jumped to contest an alley-oop from John Collins to Clint Capela. The star landed awkwardly on his left leg, buckling his knee. He remained on the floor for several minutes before being helped to the locker room with a noticeable limp. The two-time MVP scored 14 points in 24 minutes before leaving.

“It just looked like their legs got tangled up,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. “They both landed awkwardly. That’s what I saw live. I haven’t seen anything else.”

Milwaukee called it a hyperextended left knee injury. Antetokounmpo is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury.

With Antetokounmpo gone, the Hawks extended their 10-point lead behind a 15-0 run as the Bucks remained scoreless for three and a half minutes. Jrue Holiday’s 19 points led the Bucks, and Khris Middleton added 16 points. Both players shot 6 for 17 from the floor. No other Bucks player reached double digits.

Milwaukee shot an abysmal 39% from the field as a team and 21% from three-point range on 39 attempts. On top of that, Milwaukee committed 15 turnovers that led to 16 points for the Hawks. The Bucks were unable to convert Atlanta’s mistakes into buckets. The Bucks scored just four points off Atlanta’s 11 turnovers.

With the series tied 2-2, the Eastern Conference finals shift back to Milwaukee, with both teams missing their respective superstars. Young and Antetokounmpo should each be considered questionable for the upcoming critical Game 5 matchup.

The Atlanta Hawks were dealt a major blow during Sunday’s 113-102 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. Hawks’ star Trae Young headed to the locker room with less than 30 seconds left in the third quarter due to an ankle injury.

The injury occurred on a play with less than 36 seconds left in the third quarter. Young had the ball stolen from him by Jrue Holiday, and as he turned to try and run back on defense, Young stepped back onto the referee’s foot. He sprained his ankle and stayed down until play was stopped. The Hawks’ star then went to the locker room to be examined by the team’s medical staff. He was diagnosed with an ankle sprain and given the all-clear to return to the game.

The point guard returned early in the fourth quarter but was noticeably in pain. Atlanta head coach Nate McMillan admitted that the point guard was sore. “When he came back to the bench, I was told that he was available,” McMillan said. “Once he got out there, and I saw he wasn’t moving well when I took him out for the last few seconds, he couldn’t go back. I was basically looking to rotate his offense/defense, and he just couldn’t go back.”

Before his injury, the young star was performing well on the offense. He scored 14 points in the first quarter alone. He recorded his 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting and went 5-for-11 from three-point range.

“It’s sore right now. It’s hurting. It’s frustrating,” Young said. “Yeah, it’s hurting a little bit, and it’s sore. I got some treatment on it. I’m going to go get some more in the morning. That’s all I can do right now is get treatment.”

“When I came back in, it was kind of sore. It made me mad. I couldn’t really go as fast as I wanted to, and when I did, it hurt. So I’ve just got to get treatment and hopefully get it better for the next game.”

Young will be available for Game 4 on Tuesday night in Atlanta. The Bucks currently lead the series 2-1. The Hawks are considering Game 4 a must-win game since they travel to Milwaukee for Game 5 and Game 7 if necessary.

Trae Young is no stranger to carrying the weight of offensive production on his back for his team. He did it again in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, dropping 48 points and 11 assists en route to a 116-113 Hawks win.

Young discussed his team’s mindset given their underdog reputation during this playoff run.

“We didn’t get a high seed, so we’ve got to try to steal one on the road,” Young said. “Game 1 is definitely a game that you can really surprise that team. I think with the way we’ve been playing coming out of the gate, you can just tell we’re really focused on our attention to details when it comes to the other team.”

While the Bucks had fantastic production from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday, their offense was stifled by a lackluster performance from typical star Khris Middleton. Middleton sunk just 6 of his 23 shot attempts.

While both teams struggled to hit the deep ball, Young consistently made floaters and mid-range jumpers to propel his team to victory. Still, Milwaukee seemed to be in control of the game, leading 59-54 at halftime and 111-107 with just about two minutes remaining in the game. Yet, despite Holiday’s fantastic offensive night and Antetokounmpo’s presence in the paint, the Hawks battled back for the win.

John Collins connected on one of the few three-pointers made by the Hawks before Clint Capela placed in a layup after snagging an offensive rebound, putting Atlanta up 112-111. With a chance to tie the game in the final few seconds of play, Middleton continued his poor performance, missing an open three-point shot.

The Bucks look to bounce back in their second game and even the series at 1 apiece. Game 2 tips off in Milwaukee Friday night.

The Philadelphia 76ers once again had the Atlanta Hawks exactly where they wanted them – and managed to let another critical playoff game slip through their collective fingertips. The end result: an early ousting from the NBA playoffs, and Philly players watching from their couches as the Hawks battle to try and compete for an NBA championship.

The Sixers had lost two of their three home games in the series; they weren’t able to turn that abysmal homecourt performance around, falling by a score of 103-96 in Game 7.

The game was incredibly tight throughout the majority of the first half. At the end of the first two frames of action, Atlanta led by just a two-point margin, 48-46. The Sixers couldn’t muster anything on offense in the third quarter (a stark difference from their Game 6 victory), and the sluggishness of the team gifted Atlanta a five-point lead going into the final quarter of play.

Despite star Joel Embiid putting on another masterful performance, his efforts alone were not enough to push Philadelphia to victory. The rest of the lineup put up just 11 points in the final 12 minutes of the game. Even though Trae Young faltered offensively, the Hawks still managed to sneak out a win on the road in a do-or-die game.

The Hawks will face Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference Finals. They will once again be the underdog against a Bucks team that is loaded with talent.

The Atlanta Hawks were effectively cooked in Game 5 of their playoff series against the 76ers, down 26 points and looking at a must-win Game 6 to avoid elimination. By the time the final buzzer rang, though, Atlanta walked away with a victory and inched one step closer to its ultimate goal of an NBA Finals victory.

Hawks head coach Nate McMillan discussed his team’s outlook on each game they prepare for. “We always talk about playing a 48-minute game,” McMillan said. “It’s a long game. And it took all 48 minutes tonight to get it done.”

The victory in Game 5 was more impressive than the fourth matchup between the Hawks and the 76ers, but both were predicated on come-from-behind victories that were spurred by relentless play, regardless of the numbers on the scoreboard.

Trae Young was once again the sparkplug for the Hawks, dropping an offensive hammer with 39 points. Young was greatly assisted by the play of veterans Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams, with the former converting critical late-game threes and the latter scoring 13 (of his 15) points in the final frame of play.

The second straight loss for the 76ers left Sixers head coach Doc Rivers scratching his head for answers. “Listen, we scored 19 points and gave up 40,” he said, alluding to the fourth quarter. “So it’s on us. It’s on all of us. It’s on me. It’s on the players. And we have to figure out how to get back up, which we will, and bring this game back here for Game 7.”

Part of the strategy for the 76ers in the next game absolutely should include free-throw work with Ben Simmons, who is shooting a historically bad 32.8% from the line in the postseason. Joel Embiid was forced to carry the team offensively and defensively most of the night, and the 76ers will obviously look to lighten the burden on Embiid’s shoulders in Game 6.

Game 6 will be a difficult one for the 76ers, who will be on the road in Atlanta with a crowd hoping to see the Hawks clinch their second conference final berth since 1970.

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish – this sage saying is quite fitting to describe Trae Young’s late heroics to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a victory over the 76ers, evening the series at two games apiece.

Young turned around his uncharacteristically sluggish start, ending the game with 25 points and a win for his team. His late scoring was enough to push the Hawks to a 103-100 victory, a narrow decision that has massive implications in a series that is now up for grabs.

Young was clearly nursing a shoulder injury, but he nonetheless prevailed over this pain to propel his team to victory. His efforts were helped by an unlikely source in superstar Joel Embiid, whose lackluster performance in the second half (going scoreless from the field) was a huge difference-maker as time winded down. Embiid has been playing the series with torn cartilage in his knee, which has undoubtedly adversely affected the big man’s play.

Young was helped by the efforts of Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points) and John Collins (14 points). Some of these points were also facilitated by Young, who finished with a career-high 18 assists.

The 76ers will need to work on closing out better in Game 5, as they had an 18-point lead at halftime that they watched evaporate. Embiid continued the 76ers’ late struggles by missing a wide-open layup in the closing seconds of the final quarter. The late miss resulted in him finishing just 4 of 20 from the field overall, a stark contrast from his normal conversion rate of 51.3%.

The 76ers have a chance to regain the lead in a critical Game 5, as roughly 83% of all teams that win Game 5 in a tied series go on to win the series.

Game 5 will be on Wednesday.

The Atlanta Hawks have won their first-round series against the New York Knicks with a 103-89 victory on Wednesday. They’ll advance to face off against the Philadelphia 76ers, with Game 1 coming on Sunday in Philadelphia.

The Hawks dominated this series against the Knicks from start to finish, with Trae Young looking like a blossoming star. Young had 36 points and nine assists, while teammate and resident trash talker Clint Capela had 14 points and 15 rebounds in the Game 5 victory. Young averaged 29.2 points and 9.8 assists throughout the series. He controlled this series similarly to the way the player he was traded for, Luka Doncic, is controlling his series in the Western Conference. Head coach Nate McMillan knew Young was capable of this. “I texted him before the playoffs started and told him he’s built for this time of the season with the confidence he brings to the floor, his skill level for scoring the basketball and creating opportunities. It’s really tough to game plan against him,” McMillan said.

The Hawks have been on quite the run since they implemented McMillan as head coach, with a 27-11 regular season record under him, and now a playoff series win. The attention now shifts to the 76ers, the number one seed in the East and the team to beat. How do the Hawks match up? Pretty well, all things considered. The 76ers’ best player, Joel Embiid, is dealing with a small meniscus tear in his right knee. He’ll certainly be impacted by this injury during this series, and is being listed as day-to-day, meaning he potentially won’t start or play in Game 1. This obviously favors the Hawks, as in the two previous wins the 76ers have against the Hawks, Embiid was plus 26 in just under 50 minutes of play. Atlanta has not solved Embiid yet, so him being limited or not on the floor at all would be a big bonus.

Speaking of defense, ensuring Young isn’t picked on will be very important. The Knicks didn’t have the offensive weapons to accomplish this goal, but the 76ers certainly do. Making sure he isn’t switched on to the bigger Ben Simmons or Tobias Harris is vital, and making sure he isn’t forced to guard Seth Curry on the perimeter will be important as well. Young’s best match up would be chasing Danny Green, or simply switching with other perimeter players so he’s always away from the action. The Hawks could afford lapses against the Knicks, but they can’t afford those same lapses against the top-seeded Sixers.

As for the other starters, Bogan Bogdanovic will start at the two, Deandre Hunter at the three, John Collins at the four and Capela at the five. For Bogdanovic, being able to guard Curry will be paramount to the Hawks’ success. He’ll need to provide secondary creation and three point shooting as well. He averaged 14.4 points, as well as 4 assists per game in the series against the Knicks. A similar stat line in this one would be perfect. Hunter will likely garner the assignment of Simmons, which is seemingly going to be a difficult one. He’ll need to keep his stellar defense up in this series. He’s seemingly growing into a better offensive player as well, as he averaged 15 points per game in his 23 games this year.

The defense will be keyed on Young, so the surrounding Hawks have to step up. Collins and Capela against the 76ers’ front court is a crucial match up as well. They can’t allow easy buckets in the paint, and Collins must slow down the attack of Harris, who has been on a tear this season and seemingly always plays well for coach Doc Rivers. The Hawks could really upset the 76ers here if some matchups go their way and they get a little lucky.

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks continued to frustrate the New York Knicks in Game 4.

Led by Young, the Hawks torched the Knicks on Sunday. Young scored 27 points and John Collins added 22 points as the Hawks cruised to a 113-96 win over the Knicks. With Sunday’s win in the books, Atlanta now holds a 3-1 series lead over New York.

“We have so many guys who are skilled with the basketball,” Collins said after the Hawks’ win. “We have great chemistry with each other. I think the sky’s the limit with this team when we do the right things.”

The Hawks will now look to win Game 5 at the Garden to clinch their first playoff series victory since 2016.

“Obviously, we’re excited to win a game,” Young said. “But the job’s not done. It’s not done until the series is over. We have to have that same mentality, that same approach, try to go up to New York and finish it there.”

Atlanta was able to capitalize and take control of the game in the third quarter. Atlanta outscored New York 35-22 in the third quarter as they extended a four-point lead to a 17-point lead. The Hawks went 10 of 19 in the third, including 5 of 9 beyond the arc.

“I loved it,” Collins said after the game. “I felt like from the very start, we came out with the mindset that we were not going to let their physical game get to us. We matched their physicality and played our game.”

On the other hand, the Knicks were unable to answer or keep up with the Hawks’ offense. Knicks All-Star Julius Randle’s shooting woes continued. Randle had his highest-scoring output of the series with 23 points but shot a measly 7 of 19 from the field. R.J Barrett added 21 points and Derrick Rose had 18 points for New York. Despite the loss, Randle remains confident in his team’s ability to come back in the series.

“We’ve got a Game 5 back at home to extend this series,” Randle said. “I love our chances. It’s not over. It’s not nearly over.”

Game 5 will be hosted at Madison Square Garden, and it is a must-win for New York if they want to stay alive in the series.

An unruly Knicks fan was banned from Madison Square Garden indefinitely for spitting on Trae Young.

The New York Knicks were hosting the Atlanta Hawks for Game 2 of their first-round playoffs series when the incident occurred. During the fourth quarter, a fan spat on Young.

The team investigated the incident and announced on Thursday that the fan was banned indefinitely from the garden.

“We investigated the matter and determined that this patron, who is not a season ticket holder, did indeed spit on Trae Young, and for that reason, he is now banned from the Garden indefinitely,” the statement read. “We apologize to Trae and the entire Atlanta Hawks organization for this fan’s behavior. This was completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our venue. We have turned the information over to the appropriate authorities.” 

The Knicks’ statement came as the league released its own statement regarding fan behavior. On Thursday morning, the NBA released a statement about enforcing an enhanced fan code of conduct.

“The return of more NBA fans to our arenas has brought great excitement and energy to the start of the playoffs, but it is critical that we all show respect for players, officials, and our fellow fans,” the league stated. “An enhanced fan code of conduct will be vigorously enforced in order to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all involved.”

Young scored 30 points in the Hawks’ Game 2 loss at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are seeking their first playoff series win since 2013.