Trae Young scored the most points of any NBA player this season and wasn’t able to take any joy in the accomplishment.
Young hopes to feel better Wednesday night when the Atlanta Hawks visit the Sacramento Kings in the club’s first game since the star point guard scored a career-best 56 points against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Young was 17 of 26 from the field, knocked down 7 of 12 from 3-point range and hit all 15 of his free-throw attempts during the 136-131 setback. The defeat was Atlanta’s 10th in its past 14 games.
Young also had 14 assists during a performance that would be an all-timer if not for the team’s loss.
“I don’t care about nothing besides the fact we lost, so it (stinks) I had this type of night on a loss because at the end of the day that’s all that matters to me,” Young said. “I just wish we would have won.”
Young reported back soreness on Tuesday, and the Hawks listed him as questionable for the contest in Sacramento.
Young’s superb showing came in the third contest of a six-game road trip and at a time the Hawks are trying to get their roster back together.
Atlanta had 12 players in the COVID-19 protocol in the middle of last week. Six players cleared the protocol prior to the game in Portland, including Kevin Huerter, Danilo Gallinari and Delon Wright.
As of Tuesday evening, the Hawks still have four players in the protocol, including John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic. In addition, Cam Reddish (ankle) is questionable after missing the game in Portland.
Atlanta has struggled against Sacramento by losing five of the past six meetings.
The Kings won’t be as rested as the Hawks after being beaten 122-114 by the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
De’Aaron Fox scored 30 points and Buddy Hield added 26 to pace Sacramento, which has lost nine of its last 14 games.
Hield has knocked down seven 3-pointers in each of the past two games. That hot stretch comes after he went 5 of 17 from long range over the previous four games, while scoring in single digits three times.
Meanwhile, Fox was 12 of 21 from the field against the Lakers and is averaging 27 points and six assists over the past two games. He has scored 30 or more points five times this season.
“He’s playing at an All-Star level if you ask me,” Kings coach Alvin Gentry said after the loss to Los Angeles.
Big man Marvin Bagley III collected a season-best 12 rebounds in 24 minutes but injured a thumb. Gentry said Bagley will be examined prior to Wednesday’s game.
Sacramento will again be without frontcourt performers Richaun Holmes and Chimezie Metu, who are both in the COVID-19 protocol. Holmes has missed the past two games and Metu sat out against the Lakers.
Guard Terence Davis (ankle) is expected to miss his fifth straight game.
Young averaged 28.5 points and nine assists when the teams split two meetings last season.
