Milwaukee - Trae Young, one of the NBA's best defenders, broke free from Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, and found himself with an acre of space between Bobby Portis and the Bucks.
And then the superstar guard for the Atlanta Hawks, with more time than he knew what to do with, decided to do a little shami before letting the 3-pointer fly, like Young in the Hawks' 116-113 Several other shots of the win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday slowly settled in the bottom of the net.
"I mean, I had a lot of time," Young, who finished in 41 minutes with 48 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, would later say with a smile. "I had a lot of time.
"I was a little tired, so I had a few seconds to take a deep breath and whittle it down."
That Atlanta has made it this far has taken practically everyone by surprise. According to ESPN Stats and Information Research, it became only the fourth team in NBA history to win three games 1 on the road in the playoffs — joining a group that includes the 1999 New York Knicks, 1989 Chicago Bulls and 1981 Houston Rockets. - Really amazing.
And the Hawks have done so because of the confidence instilled in him by his star - a player who is never afraid to play with style, no matter what the situation.
If there was any doubt, his Shami should put an end to those thoughts.
"I was thinking the same thing you guys were: 'Did he really do that? Hawks guard Kevin Huerter said.
The same could be said for the Hawks, when they came from behind once again - this time down seven points with 4:18 remaining when Holiday, who finished with 33 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes, took the lead. Buried a 3-pointer to give Milwaukee a 105-98 lead.
This was exactly the kind of moment an experienced team, playing at home and going back and forth with their opponent, would usually use to take the game away.
Instead, the Hawks came back, going 17-8 from there to close the game and secure the win—a run that was driven, like the night, almost exclusively by Young, who either Scored or assisted on 13 of those 17 points, including four free throws within the final 20 seconds to help keep the Hawks in front.
And after Milwaukee missed a pair of potentially game-tying 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds—one by Pat Connaughton, who was a particularly ugly air ball, and another by Khris Middleton, who ended the game 0- Finished with K-9. Beyond the 3-point arc - the Hawks found themselves once again taking Game 1 on the road to the Eastern Finals.
Hawks forward John Collins said, "Trey is a bold dude, just to be frank with you." "He lives for those moments.
"I don't know what more people need to see from him in the playoffs to know he's a big-time player. He likes bright lights.
"I forgot about Shimmy, but that's just Trai. That's his swag. If it helps him make the shot, keep shaming my boy."
The Hawks have taken the same attitude with him in all these playoffs. Asked why they've been able to surprise people in these playoffs — and especially with their game on the road, where Atlanta are now 6-2 this post season — was, essentially, a collective shrug, Same reaction after that: Why not?
"I think we can go as far as we want," Young said. "I don't think there's a limit, unless you put the [NBA] Finals on it.
"I believe in this team, and we all believe in each other."
At this point, it would be insane for them not to believe in themselves after what the Hawks have been able to achieve up to this point. He has done so with D'Andre Hunter, his best perimeter defender, who was hardly available before knee surgery at the end of the season, and with Bogdan Bogdanovic - his second best perimeter scorer behind Young - Was playing at less than 100%. The final few games of the series against the Philadelphia 76ers, and against the Bucks in Game 1, due to pain in the right knee.
Despite this, the Hawks keep looking for ways to win. He got a brilliant game from Collins, scoring 23 points and 15 rebounds. He got 19 rebounds from Clint Capela, including a huge offensive rebound and a 29-second putback, which took the lead for good for Atlanta.
And, of course, Hawks got an endless array of plays from Young. The Bucks went out of their way and let Young go into midrange and took floaters in the first half. It was a sensible strategy, Young himself said, after the two teams struggled to make the same shots during a regular-season meeting.
This night, however, Young did not miss to start the game, scoring 25 points in the first half alone. And as he was able to go, it forced the Bucks to turn his back, moving away from center Brooke Lopez, who played only 20 minutes, attempting to switch against Young and the Hawks in favor of a smaller lineup. to do.
Only it didn't work - partly because after Young had two free throws in the first three-and-a-half quarters, Young scored a 10 in the final few minutes of the fourth.
"It's not easy [to win]," said Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, after finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. "It was never easy.
"At the end of the day, we have to come and do our job. We have to get better."
The Hawks have now forced the same reaction from three straight opponents in these playoffs. As a result, they now have an edge in these Eastern Conference Finals.