At 8:30 a.m. Beijing time on February 3, the fierce battle of the NBA regular season was in full swing, and the Atlanta Hawks sat at home to face the Phoenix Suns. The Suns previously had a 28-20 record, ranked 6th in the West, and had a mediocre performance due to injuries at the beginning of the season, and have been in the middle of the West, with a win rate of about 50%. Recently, the team has been in good health, the Big Three have a stable tacit understanding, and the record is gradually climbing, and it is getting closer and closer to the top of the West. Durant has been in excellent form this season, averaging 28 per game4 points, 64 rebounds, 58 assists, shooting 53% from the field and 45% from three-point range. Booker exploded in recent games and was named the best player in the West and was named to the All-Star team this season. The Suns are high overall, but lack a playmaking player, and Beal may need to take on more dirty work in the game.
The Hawks sit 20-27 ahead of this game and are 10th in the East. The overall strength of the Hawks this season is slightly lacking, and it is quite difficult to challenge for the playoff position. Trae Young became one of the missing pearls of the All-Star team, averaging 27 points and 11 assists per game and not being selected as an All-Star, which is a pity. In terms of starting lineups, the Hawks sent Trae Young, Murray, Johnson, Sadiq Bey, Capela; The Suns sent Durant, Booker, Beal, Allen, and Nurkic.
After the start of the game, Nurkic won with a jump ball, and the Suns took the lead in possession. Murray opened the game with a mid-range pull-up jumper for the Hawks, and Capela scored in the box. In the first quarter of the Suns, players such as Durant, Booker, and Gordon performed well, and the Hawks were in a stalemate, with the score taking the lead alternately. At the end of the first quarter, the Suns were temporarily trailing at 30-33.
In the second quarter of the game, Durant's three-pointer at the top of the arc and Bogdan's three-pointer quickly tied the score for the Suns. The Hawks took a 10-point lead at one point in the second quarter, but the Suns relied on the performances of Durant, Beal and Gordon to tie the score again. At halftime, the Hawks led the Suns by three points, 66-63.
After the first half, the Hawks still maintained their advantage, Trae Young was brave from the outside, and Bogdan was also on fire. The Suns looked weak on the defensive end, and in the end, the Hawks beat the Suns 129-120 at home. Durant performed well in the final quarter, but the overall disadvantage of the Suns gradually expanded, and it was difficult to counterattack in the end.
This game turned out to be a victory for the Hawks to be reckoned with, and the Suns will need to adjust their lineup and tactics and improve their defense in the following games to meet the next challenges.