The Miami Heat have taken a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series versus the Atlanta Hawks, and Atlanta’s top star is starting to complain.
Trae Young said that the Heat are not getting called for fouls and that it is preventing his team from playing its best ball.
In Game 1, Miami won easily, 115-91, and Young had a miserable game, going just 1-of-12 from the field and missing all seven of his 3-point attempts.
He looked more like himself on Tuesday, making 10-of-20 shots and scoring 25 points, to go along with seven assists, but the Hawks couldn’t hold Miami at bay.
In particular, Atlanta had a problem, and his name was Jimmy Butler.
The Heat’s leader scored 45 points on 15-of-25 overall shooting and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, and down the stretch, he made sure Atlanta wouldn’t have a chance to tie the series. His 45 points set a new personal career playoff high.
The Hawks were down by just two points at halftime, but Miami turned up its defense in the third quarter and gained separation.
For the game, Atlanta committed 19 turnovers, allowing the Heat to get out in transition, where it outscored Atlanta 20-13.
Young, in particular, contributed mightily in that department with 10 turnovers all by himself.
Needless to say, the Hawks will face a virtual must-win situation in Game 3 in Georgia. If Miami wins again, it will take a 3-0 series lead, a lead that no team in NBA history has ever blown.