ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Trae Young scored 31 points, playing only in the first half, to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 118-109 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in the second of two games in Abu Dhabi.
Two more preseason games for the Bucks, including Tuesday at Chicago. The regular season starts on the road Oct. 20 at Philly, before home Oct. 22 against the Rockets.
Young connected on 11 of 15 shots. But it was his 3-point shooting, extending at times beyond 30 feet, where he seemed to score at will, converting 7 of 9. He also handed out six assists over 20 minutes.
With Young taking off the second half, Atlanta opened the third quarter on a 10-1 run to build its lead to double digits. De’Andre Hunter finished with 21 points for the Hawks. A.J. Griffin, the 16th overall pick in last summer’s draft, scored 13 points.
Lindell Wiggington led Milwaukee with 16 points. Bobby Portis Jr. scored 15 points, while Jrue Holiday added 12 points for the Bucks. Holiday also had four assists and four rebounds in 18 minutes.
The Hawks second-half advantage reached 23 before a push by the Bucks reserves in the fourth quarter made the score closer.
The Bucks played without leader Giannis Antetokounmpo, resting after playing in the first Abu Dhabi game. They are still waiting on Khris Middleton to return from off-season left wrist surgery.
Atlanta, which won the first game in Abu Dhabi 123-113 on Thursday, was without Dejounte Murray, who sat out with back spasms after scoring 25 points in the opener.
TOP PHOTO: Trae Young of Atlanta Hawks guards Jrue Holiday of Milwaukee Bucks during a preseason NBA basketball game in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)