‘Sleepwalking’ Miami Heat roasted as Hawks pull off NBA post-season boilover few saw coming

Trae Young scored 25 factors because the Atlanta Hawks booked their place within the NBA playoffs after defeating the Miami Heat 116-105 within the opening sport of the play-in match.

Atlanta’s bench mixed to attain 53 factors to silence the Miami residence crowd and ship the Hawks into an Eastern Conference first-round playoff collection towards the Boston Celtics.

Miami will now face the winner of Wednesday’s sport between Toronto and Chicago to find out the eighth and closing seed within the Eastern Conference playoffs.

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“We brought the physicality to them,” Young mentioned after the win. “They’re known for being a very physical team and trying to bully a lot of teams on the defensive end.

“And if you don’t match their physicality you can get beat. Tonight I think we matched their physicality and it showed.” Young led an outstanding all-round offensive workforce effort from Atlanta, who noticed seven gamers end in double figures.

Dejounte Murray posted 18 factors, whereas Saddiq Bey added 17. Atlanta took a stranglehold on the sport after a dominant first-half show, outhustling a sluggish Miami line-up at each ends of the court docket to shortly open up a double-digit lead.

The Heat had been sturdy favourites heading into the sport, and nearly unanimously picked by specialists. And their incapacity to beat the Hawks on residence soil drew stinging criticism.

The Hawks moved 9 factors clear on the finish of the primary quarter at 36-27 after which accelerated away within the second to guide by 24 factors at 63-39.

Only a late 11-0 Miami run to shut the half — Kyle Lowry taking his first-half tally to 19 factors — stored the scoreline respectable however Atlanta however nonetheless reached half-time with a hefty 65-50 lead.

Young led the Atlanta scoring within the first half with 13 factors and 6 assists, together with one very good behind-the-back move within the second quarter to arrange a three-pointer for Bey.

Clint Capela additionally delivered an enormous defensive efficiency for Atlanta, hauling in 21 rebounds and making two essential blocks within the first half to stymie Miami’s offense.

Miami rallied to begin the second half with a 13-4 run and closed to inside 5 factors at one stage within the third quarter.

But Atlanta had been at all times capable of elevate the sport at key moments to shut out the win