The Atlanta Hawks dominated the Charlotte Hornets 134-102 on Tuesday night, sweeping the season series behind a 31-point performance from Trae Young.
Dyson Daniels added 22 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for Atlanta (33-36), which remains in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. Zaccharie Risacher contributed 21 points, hitting four three-pointers in the third quarter to help the Hawks pull away.
Charlotte (17-51) played without LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, relying on DaQuan Jeffries and Seth Curry, who each scored 19 points. The Hornets trailed 70-57 at halftime before Atlanta erupted in the third quarter, outscoring them 36-23.
Risacher’s hot shooting helped the Hawks extend their lead to 100-65 after three consecutive three-pointers. He finished with 16 points in the third quarter alone, shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
Onyeka Okongwu made an early impact, scoring 10 points in the first four minutes as the Hawks built a 20-7 advantage. He finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Atlanta shot 48.9% from deep, making 22 of 45 three-point attempts.
Charlotte suffered another setback when backup center Moussa Diabate exited the game late with a lower-body injury. The Hornets, already shorthanded, struggled to keep up with Atlanta’s offensive firepower.
The Hawks remain 5.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the sixth seed in the East as they push for a higher playoff position. Their next game will be critical as they attempt to climb the standings.
