Phoenix Suns: 3 Ways to Shut Down Trae Young and Beat Atlanta Hawks

Rising up along the corner, Devin Booker splashed home a triple against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. As the ball whipped through the nylon, he turned toward Houston’s bench and busted out some moves, injecting extra energy into the crowd.

Riding that momentum, the Suns put together a 9-3 run to close out the third quarter. They never looked back, dominating the final period right after. The scoreboard flashed a 111-123 score in Phoenix’s favor once the clock hit zero, granting the Suns a third straight victory.

The Rockets entered this season as a likely lottery-bound team, making Phoenix’s win and Booker’s celebrations somewhat expected. But with the Suns facing off against the more robust Atlanta Hawks tonight, it might be difficult for them to stay dancing.

When looking at the Hawks, one needs to start at the point guard spot, filled by offensive juggernaut Trae Young. Although he finds himself off to a slower start this season, especially from an efficiency stand point, Young is still a stone cold killer with the ball in hand.

For his career, he currently averages 24.1 points and 8.9 assists per game, with .430/.341/.863 shooting splits. Young also represents a true three level scorer, and even a four level one if you extend things out to the mid-court area.

If the Suns want to earn their fourth straight victory tonight, they need to derail him first and foremost. Doing so might strike as something easier said than done, but here’s a blueprint for the team to at least view as a reference.