The Atlanta Hawks backcourt defense was the difference against the Hornets

The Atlanta Hawks backcourt was incredible against the Charlotte Hornets. They helped the team get a double-figure lead in the early stages and they never let the Hornets back into the game. There was a scary moment at the end of the game when Hornets came back but that was snuffed out.

With only just over a minute remaining in the game the Hornets were coming. They chose to get the ball out of Trae Young’s hands in the form of a trap and he beat it, finding Kevin Huerter for a big 3-point bomb which continues his hot shooting which was on display against the Boston Celtics

Then, Cam Reddish, the surprise of the start of the season, came through with the dagger. Again the Hornets got the ball out of Young’s hands but the ball found its way to Reddish in the corner. The third-year man wasted no time in draining the dagger.

The defense of the Atlanta Hawks backcourt was strong.

While the backcourt does not normally get the credit they deserve for their defense because Clint Capela is so good. In this game, the numbers of the Hornets guards showed that the backcourt did their job by challenging shots and guiding them to the help defense that Capela and John Collins provide.

The Hornets get a massive amount of their offense from Terry Rozier, LaMelo Ball, and Gordon Hayward. These three players combined for 5-of-17 from beyond the line. On top of that, they went 13-of-40 from the field.

It was this inefficiency of the Hornets backcourt that would end up costing the Hornets the game, despite the fact that Ball got his third triple-double in two seasons. He must like playing the Hawks because he has collected two against the Georgia franchise.

The win was the most important of the homestand as it helped the Hawks catch up a full game in the standings on the Hornets and it gave them first blood in the season series. The Hawks take on the OKC Thunder in the final home game of the series on Monday.