Hawks cruise past Pistons, 122-104

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Detroit Pistons Monday night at State Farm Arena by a score of 122-104. They controlled the game vs. a short-handed, outmanned Pistons roster that was missing their best player, Jerami Grant, as well as 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham.

The Hawks led 28-18 at the end of the first quarter, controlling the game for the most part despite not being the sharpest offensively.

John Collins led the Hawks with six points in the first quarter.

The scoring picked up on both sides in the second quarter, with 70 total points being scored in the period after just 46 were scored in the first. Atlanta allowed the Pistons to score 36 of those points, getting outscored by two.

Trae Young was cooking in the second, scoring 17 points in the quarter. He went to the half with 22 points and five assists, including this behind-the-back gem to Bodgan Bogdanovic for a three in the corner.

Kevin Huerter had nine points and two assists at the break, getting his game going a bit offensively by picking up his aggressiveness.

Kelly Olynyk led the Pistons with 17 first-half points and four rebounds.

Huerter stayed active in the third, making plays on both ends of the court. Here’s a savvy interior pass to Collins:

The Hawks got hot from three late in the third, and that helped them build a 95-79 lead that they would carry to the fourth quarter.

The Hawks continued to push the Pistons around in the fourth, as this lob from Cam Reddish to Collins put the Hawks up 103-81 with just over nine minutes to play. Collins continued to have a dunk contest during the flow of the game as the Hawks ran away with this one.

And another.

The Hawks controlled things down the stretch as well, winning by a final score of 122-104.

Young led the Hawks with 32 points to go with nine assists, with Collins scoring 22 points and adding seven rebounds. Reddish scored 17 points and had three steals. Huerter had 14 points and four assists.

The Hawks will be back in action from the road on Wednesday when they will play the New Orleans Pelicans.

Stay tuned.