The NBA matchup between Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat tonight was nothing short of wild. Jimmy Butler almost landed an uppercut on Trae Young while attempting a steal against him.

Jimmy Butler has established himself as a pillar of top NBA defense. In seven of the previous eight seasons, the superstar winger has been named to an All-NBA or All-Defensive team, and he led the league with 2.1 steals per game in 2020-21. Further, Butler is one of NBA’s most feared matchups, choking his opponents while making sure they know it.

Trae Young also showed incredible hustle fighting for the ball. Despite being in a disadvantageous matchup against Butler, he showed remarkable grit fighting for the ball. Even though being smaller in size than most NBA players, Trae Young has repeatedly shown that he does not bow down from a scrap.

Read more: “They’re Gonna Be the Scapegoat”: Kevin Love Opens Up About the Pressure of Being on LeBron James’ Team

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks tonight

It was a team effort that helped them win tonight’s game. In spite of the fact that the Hawks are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference, they balled out tonight against the 3rd seeded Miami Heat. Chiefly, Trae Young dropped 28 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds in 36 minutes. Further, Kevin Huerter and John Collins scored 21 and 15 points, respectively.

Notwithstanding today’s win, the Hawks have not been like their previous self. Last season they reached the Conference Finals, but this season has not been that fortunate for them. Amidst many trade rumors, the team is trying to pull it together and find a leader in Trae Young.

What about the 3rd seeded Miami Heat?

Kyle Lowry was absent from the Heat’s lineup tonight. Gabe Vincent, in particular, stepped up to fill those shoes, scoring 14 points and dishing out nine assists in 38 minutes of action. Jimmy Butler also put up an outstanding 13-8-8 stat line in 36 minutes. Bam Adebayo, on the other hand, exploded for 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in only 34 minutes.

Despite losing tonight’s game, the Heat have a 29-17 win-loss record this season. As a consequence, they remain in third place in the Eastern Conference, trailing just the Nets and the Bulls.

Do you think Miami and Hawks will see each other in the playoffs? Let us know in the comments.

Watch this next: “You Know You Don’t Shoot Jumpers”: Floyd Mayweather Hilariously Talks Trash to NBA Players During Heat vs TrailBlazers