Trae Young scores 24 as Hawks beat Heat

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 27: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the game against the Chicago Bulls at State Farm Arena on October 27, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

ATLANTA — Trae Young had 24 points and a career-high 15 assists, and the Atlanta Hawks beat Josh Richardson and the Miami Heat 123-118 on Saturday night.

Taurean Prince and Dewayne Dedmon each scored 15 points for the Hawks, who had dropped four in a row. Young also had six rebounds in his ninth NBA game.

Richardson scored 32 points, setting a career high for the second time this week, but Miami lost its third straight game.

The Heat trailed by 15 in the third quarter before rallying to a 111-110 lead in the fourth. The game was tied at 118 when Vince Carter’s jumper gave Atlanta the lead for good. Carter had 12 points.

Players on each team were quick to launch 3-pointers in the fast-paced game.

The Hawks made 13 of 32 3s, and the Heat connected on 16 of 40, including 6 of 10 by Richardson.

Before Miami allowed more than 120 points for the third straight game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra made a pregame appeal for better defense.

“We’re coming off two poor defensive efforts,” Spoelstra said.

“We just need to commit better, harder, for 48 minutes.”

Spoelstra may have repeated his plea at halftime. The Hawks led 74-68 at the break after making 60 percent of their shots from the field. The Hawks shot 52.3 percent for the game.

A 12-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer and pullup jumper by Young, gave Atlanta its biggest lead at 86-71.

Young dribbled through traffic and made a short floater at the buzzer to give Atlanta a 102-93 lead entering the final period.

Richardson’s jumper tied it at 116. Following a flagrant foul against Justise Winslow, Young’s two free throws got the lead back for Atlanta.

Miami held out point guard Goran Dragic due to persistent pain in his right foot. Dragic, second on the team with 17.7 points per game, had a cortisone shot earlier in the week.

Dwyane Wade had 19 points for the Heat.

TIP-INS

Heat: Wayne Ellington made his season debut after returning from a left ankle injury. He finished with five points. … Winslow had 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in his first start of the season. … Richardson had 31 points against Sacramento on Monday.

Hawks: Rookie F Omari Spellman had seven points in his first start. … G Kevin Huerter had 12 points after spraining his right ankle in Thursday night’s loss to Sacramento.

UP NEXT

Heat: At Detroit on Monday night.

Hawks: At Charlotte on Tuesday night.