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NBA: Atlanta down Miami to book playoff berth

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (C) reacts with Bogdan Bogdanovic (L) of Serbia and De" Andre="" Hunter="" after="" Young="" made="" a="" buzzer-beating="" game-winning="" basket="" against="" the="" Brooklyn="" Nets="" in="" second="" half="" of="" their="" NBA="" game="" at="" State="" Farm="" Arena="" February="" Erik="" S.="" EPA-EFE="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/04/12/hawks.jpg"/><figcaption>Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (C) reacts with Bogdan Bogdanovic (L) of Serbia and De&#x27;Andre Hunter (R) after Young made a buzzer-beating game-winning basket against the Brooklyn Nets in the second half of their NBA game at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, February 26, 2023. <em>Erik S. Lesser, EPA-EFE/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MIAMI -- Trae Young scored 25 points as the Atlanta Hawks booked their place in the NBA playoffs after defeating the Miami Heat 116-105 in the opening game of the play-in tournament on Tuesday.</p><p>Atlanta&#x27;s bench combined to score 53 points to silence the Miami home crowd and send the Hawks into an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.</p><p>Miami will now face the winner of Wednesday&#x27;s game between Toronto and Chicago to determine the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.</p><p>&quot;We brought the physicality to them,&quot; Young said after the win. &quot;They&#x27;re known for being a very physical team and trying to bully a lot of teams on the defensive end.</p><p>&quot;And if you don&#x27;t match their physicality you can get beat. Tonight I think we matched their physicality and it showed.&quot;</p><div><strong>HIGHLIGHTS:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BtFyPcZdhMQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Young led a superb all-round offensive team effort from Atlanta, who saw seven players finish in double figures.</p><p>Dejounte Murray posted 18 points, while Saddiq Bey added 17.</p><p>Atlanta took a stranglehold on the game after a dominant first-half display, outhustling a sluggish Miami line-up at both ends of the court to quickly open up a double-digit lead.</p><p>The Hawks moved nine points clear at the end of the first quarter at 36-27 and then accelerated away in the second to lead by 24 points at 63-39.</p><p>Only a late 11-0 Miami run to close the half -– Kyle Lowry taking his first-half tally to 19 points -- kept the scoreline respectable but Atlanta nevertheless still reached half-time with a hefty 65-50 lead.</p><p>Young led the Atlanta scoring in the first half with 13 points and six assists, including one superb behind-the-back pass in the second quarter to set up a three-pointer for Bey.</p><p>Clint Capela also delivered a huge defensive performance for Atlanta, hauling in 21 rebounds and making two crucial blocks in the first half to stymie Miami&#x27;s offense.</p><p>Miami rallied to start the second half with a 13-4 run and closed to within five points at one stage in the third quarter.</p><p>But Atlanta were always able to raise the game at key moments to close out the win.</p><p>© Agence France-Presse</p>

The Atlanta Hawks booked their place in the NBA playoffs after defeating the Miami Heat 116-105 in the play-in tournament on Tuesday.