Trae Young hit the ground running in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Most fans and sports pundits weren’t expecting the Atlanta Hawks to make a huge impact in the postseason. On the contrary, the Hawks went to the Eastern Conference Finals.
While the whole team played like a well-oiled machine, the spearhead of their attack was none other than Young. In his first-ever playoff run, Trae played 16 games and averaged a sensational 28.8 points per game.
The only noticeable flaw in his game is his defense. Young might be a great scorer, but when it comes to defense, he lacks that skill in his arsenal.
NBA analyst Ramona Shelburne pointed this out on ESPN’s Jump. She even said that Trae is aware of this flaw and he knows he has to improve that.
“I think he would tell you the same thing is that he just needs to improve on defense and be more consistent about it. …His career defensive rating is 116, that’s not so great. And he would tell you the same thing he can be a better defensive player.”
The 22-year-old has already accumulated a good resume for his age. He will only improve as he spends more time in the league. As for his defense, the Hawks are well aware of that, hence the franchise has assembled a team to cover that up for their superstar.
Talking about the expectations from him and the Hawks, they would love to repeat last year’s success. It won’t be an easy task by any means. Teams like Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, and the reigning champions Milwaukee Bucks are all set to dominate the Eastern Conference.
Perhaps improving his defense will further increase the chances of defeating powerhouses in the conference.
Young will be turning 23 years old soon and has a bright future awaiting him. What are your thoughts on his ceiling? Can he win an NBA championship with his current arsenal or should he try focusing more on the defensive end of the court? Well, it will be more clear as the new season begins soon.
