Atlanta Hawks set franchise record for most points in the first half

I think we all knew that the Atlanta Hawks would get better. I just don’t think any of us knew they would be this better. On Wednesday, in their season opener, the Hawks set a franchise record for most points in the first half (83) in a 124-104 win over the Chicago Bulls.

Atlanta scored 42 first-half points, and 41 second-half points. They had a 42-29 lead over the Bulls after the opening 12 minutes, and then outscored Chicago 41-30 in the second quarter, to take an 83-59 halftime lead.

According to Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the 83 first-half points the Hawks scored at the United Center broke the old franchise record that lasted 33 years. On November 6, 1987, the Hawks scored 73 first-half points in a 114-97 win over the Washington Bullets.

The Hawks also set a franchise record on Wednesday for most first-quarter points in an opening game with 42. That previous record was 40 points, which was set on October 21, 1961, in a 138-129 St. Louis Hawks loss to the Cincinnati Royals. The St. Louis Hawks moved to Atlanta in 1968, and the Cincinnati Royals are now the Sacramento Kings.

So how have the Hawks got so good? Well, part of the reason on Wednesday is because the Bulls defense was horrendous. However, the other reason was because of the outstanding play of point guard Trey Young. The 22-year-old from Lubbock, Texas, led the Hawks with 37 points, and is seriously becoming one of the game’s rising stars. Young is now clearly better, playing alongside Danilo Gallinari, who the Hawks picked up from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the offseason.

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