The Atlanta Hawks walked out of the Vivint Arena in Utah with a 124-121 win over the Utah Jazz in a game sealed by Trae Young. Young threw up a half-court heave with time expiring that went in to seal the Hawks’ three-point win after a Collin Sexton shot with 2.9 seconds left threatened to send the game to OT.
TRAE GAME-WINNER FROM HALFCOURT 🤯🥶 pic.twitter.com/OiOpAp3Vsm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2025
This was the 7th-longest game-winner in NBA history, as Young ended the night with 24 points (6-16 FG) and 20 assists. This was Young’s third 20-20 game this season, the most recorded in a single season since John Stockton did it 35 years ago. He’s averaging 22.6 points and 12.2 assists this season, leading the league in assists.
Young reacted to the feat by expressing his joy at getting the chance to hit a shot like this in a game after dreaming about a moment like this for years.
“We had nothing left. There were three seconds left, I was trying to get the ball in quickly and tell Dyson to get the ball in quickly and hopefully try to get a shot up. We practice those shots growing up, just having fun, and even in practice. I’m just glad I had an opportunity to do it in a game and win it for us.”
"I'm just glad I had an opportunity to win it for us."
– Ice Trae on his cold-blooded #TissotBuzzerBeater 🥶 https://t.co/lkcFDqnQXM pic.twitter.com/JZLDHpGGes
— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2025
Few players can be trusted more with a half-court shot than Young, who leads the league in threes from 40 feet or beyond, adding another incredibly deep shot to his resume. Young shot that from beyond half-court, reaffirming his status as one of the best deep shooters in NBA history.
The Hawks improved their record to 19-18, becoming tied for the No. 7 seed with the Indiana Pacers. Young is solidifying his case as an All-Star starter, helping the Hawks remain competitive after seemingly taking a step back in the summer when they traded Dejounte Murray for assets.
Dyson Daniels, who joined the Hawks from the New Orleans Pelicans in the Murray trade, has thrived as Young’s backcourt partner. He’s averaging 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.2 steals per game, leading the league in steals. Jalen Johnson has continued to improve as well, giving the Hawks a bright future outlook after a few years stuck in the middle of the East.
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