Trae Young explodes for career-high 50 points as Atlanta Hawks come from behind to defeat Miami Heat

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Kane Pitman
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With Atlanta trailing 97-90 at the end of the third despite Trae Young scoring 30 points, it felt like a familiar tale for the Hawks - Young putting up a monster stat line in a game that would ultimately end in a loss.

Young and the Hawks were able to flip the script in this one, however, outscoring the Heat 39-27 behind 20 points from their All-Star guard.

The 21-year-old scoring machine would finish with a career-high 50 points on 12-for-25 shooting from the field and 8-for-15 from behind the 3-point line.

Young would make the first of two free throws with 2.5 seconds left to effectively ice the game and reach his 50-point plateau for the first time in his short NBA career. The 50-point game topped his previous career-high of 49 which he had reached twice.

Five of his 20 points in the final period came in the first minute, with one of his baskets coming on a nasty crossover that sent Andre Iguodala stumbling.

With the Hawks still trailing 109-105, Young, never afraid to let it fly from deep hit nothing but net from the logo to give him 44 points with 7:38 left.

The damage wasn't solely done from the outside, as the then drew contact and finished a tough floater off and glass in an and-1 finish that tied the game at 119.

While the night belonged to Young, another positive for Lloyd Pierce will be some clutch plays down the stretch from Atlanta's other young talent.

De'Andre Hunter first drilled a three, before Cam Reddish threw down a dunk to ensure the Hawks would take the lead in the final minute. 

The loss now drops Miami to 3.5 games back of Boston for the third seed in the East and just 1.0 game ahead of Philadelphia in fifth as playoff seedings continue to take shape.

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Kane Pitman