Trae Young-led Hawks holding own against league’s best as they focus on making the playoffs – Yahoo Sports

ATLANTA The Brooklyn Nets were a few seconds away from staving off a young Atlanta Hawks squad on the road inside of State Farm Arena on Wednesday night.

With four seconds remaining in overtime, James Harden was at the charity stripe and Hawks star point guard Trae Young was positioned behind him staring into space in deep thought. He looked as if he was itching for a couple of do-overs.

The rising Hawks had fought valiantly throughout and led for much of the contest. They had their chances to win. In the end, the three-headed superstar trio of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were too much to overcome down the stretch, accounting for 89 of the teams 132 points in a four-point Nets win.

Young finished the evening with 28 points and 14 assists. The third-year guard issued Yahoo Sports an exclusive phone interview to discuss what he was thinking late in the game, the misperception of the Hawks locker room and a look into the latest phase of the franchises developmental chapter.

When the game got to that point [with Harden at the line sealing the victory], I was just thinking that Im looking forward to the next matchup against them, Young told Yahoo Sports. I think for us, being in the East and having a chance to possibly see them in the playoffs and maybe see them in the second half of the season, I just love playing against the best. Thats always fun. So when you get a chance to play against them, it brings the best out of you. So when that happened at the end of the game, thats what I was thinking about, the next time we play them.

Prior to Wednesdays affair, the season series was tied at 1-1 with Atlanta winning the last game in Brooklyn by 18 points.

In the previous two seasons, the Hawks more than likely wouldnt have been able to compete for 48 minutes against a team of this caliber. Now, Clint Capela who is making a case for All-Star consideration is racking up massive double-double numbers while protecting the paint and Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce is equipped with a nucleus of John Collins, DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish who are showing immense promise as long, versatile defenders capable of switching everything.

Story continues

The Hawks are trending upwards.

I read a stat a couple days ago that we didnt win our seventh game last year until our 35th game, and were 9-9 right now, Young told Yahoo Sports. So for us, were winning and were getting better. Thats my main focus and if were doing that, everything else will take care of itself.

But with success, often comes scrutiny.

The Athletic reported earlier in the month about a film session in which Collins reportedly criticized Young for mismanaging the clock on the offensive end and questioned his early shot-clock heaves. The leadership skills of the 22-year-old franchise player were suddenly in question.

On a young team, those sort of gripes are routine across the league. But Young insists the episode was overblown.

Of course if theres anything out there publicly, I always go directly to [that person], Young relayed to Yahoo Sports. As for the John [Collins] incident, me and him talked about it as soon as it got out the next day and we were both confused. It just got out and it was over a regular film session. So theres no beef or anything in there to begin with. There hasnt been any locker room issues on my side. Anything that people were saying about locker room issues, there hasnt been one. Its all about our team and how weve been trying to get better in film sessions.

Another area of scrutiny Young has endured as of late is his foul-drawing ability. He has a knack for using a screen to get around his defender, sealing him on his backside and causing the opponent to run into him.

Nets coach Steve Nash and New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, along with multiple players, have complained to the officials about Youngs tactic for getting to the line.

Ive obviously seen it. Ive seen a lot more talking about fouls this year and me just being able to draw fouls and the way Im drawing them, Young told Yahoo Sports. If you look at my track history going back to high school, I averaged 42 points and Im pretty sure I shot 17 free throws a game. And in college, I led the country in free throws my freshman year. Ive always been able to know how to get to the free-throw line. Its little things like that people are pointing out this year, but its stuff Ive been doing my whole life.

Young said hes built for whatever may come his way. And that bodes well for the Hawks whose mission is to return to a place they haven't been in five years.

Making the playoffs is the main goal for us, Young told Yahoo Sports so adamantly. For us, these past couple of years, its been more of a development stage. Were all pretty young and of course were trying to win each and every night, but everybodys main focus was to get better each and every day. And when youre hearing that all the time, thats really the main focus. So now, its like, How can we win each and every day. Its a different mindset around here now.

More from Yahoo Sports:

Read the original post:

Trae Young-led Hawks holding own against league's best as they focus on making the playoffs - Yahoo Sports