The Atlanta Hawks used the three-ball to top their division rival, Miami Heat, at home 121-113. Atlanta led this wire-to-wire, hitting 13 three-pointer’s on 48.1% shooting compared to Miami’s 8-31 for 25.8% from downtown.
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game in Atlanta went all the home team’s way. Miami never led in this ball game, and fell to a double-digit deficit in the opening frame.
The star backcourt of Dejounte Murray & Trae Young led the way for the suddenly surging Hawks team. Murray finished with 28 points, shooting 11-17 overall and 5-8 from three, with 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Murray scored 12 of his 28 in the final frame stalling a Miami-comeback attempt. Young finished with 24 points, 8 assists and 4 steals. He did have 10 turnovers that helped Miami claw back in this one.
The Heat were without multiple players but still were led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Butler did everything he could to get Miami back in this one finishing with 34 points on an efficient 11-16 from the field, and also went 11-11 from the charity stripe. Adebayo finished with a healthy stat-line of 20 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.
Atlanta will look to extend their winning streak against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night in Dallas. Tip-off from the American Airlines Center is 7:30 p.m. and will be a nationally televised game on ESPN.
