Trae Young delivered 36 points as the Atlanta Hawks edged the Indiana Pacers 120-118 on Saturday night. Caris LeVert contributed 26 points off the bench, helping Atlanta (30-34) secure its third win in four games.
The Hawks jumped out to a 39-19 lead after the first quarter and maintained a 17-point advantage at halftime. Indiana (35-27) clawed back and briefly took the lead in the fourth, but Atlanta responded with key plays down the stretch.
Onyeka Okongwu posted a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds, anchoring the Hawks inside. Young briefly exited late in the third quarter with a thigh injury but returned four minutes later and closed the game with 10 points and three assists in the final period.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 30 points in his return after missing four games due to a wrist injury. Pascal Siakam added 23 points, while Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith each scored 14.
Indiana played without All-Star Tyrese Haliburton for a second straight game due to a hip strain. The Pacers, ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference, put together a strong rally despite missing their floor general but fell short in the final seconds.
Down 119-116 with 7.4 seconds remaining, Indiana pushed the ball up the floor, but Siakam opted for a quick dunk instead of a potential game-tying three-pointer. The Hawks then sealed the win at the free-throw line.
