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NBA's L2M notes Dennis Smith Jr. didn't foul Trae Young in the clutch

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Nets
By Marin Gabric | Last updated 12/9/23

The glory felt by the Brooklyn Nets on their major clutch win on Wednesday was meanwhile a bitter loss at the other hand for the Atlanta Hawks.

After Mikal Bridges hit his clutch jumper with five seconds left to hand the Nets an upper hand, Trae Young received the final possession at the side of the Hawks. As he drove hard for a bucket, Dennis Smith Jr. tried to contain him with a highly physical defense.

Upon firing a floater and missing it, Brooklyn prevailed in a nail-biter at the final buzzer, but both Young and Atlanta coach Quin Snyder quickly went near the officials and complained about what could be a crucial missed foul call against DSJ.

No contact

Many Hawks fans have questioned the final play but the league's review center ultimately announced that there was no foul on the side of Smith Jr.

According to the NBA's last-two-minute report on the said game, DSJ didn't give a fouling push against Young amid the star point man's sudden stumble with his shot attempt.

Huge defensive stops

It might be controversial for the Hawks fans, but Smith Jr. earned his praise for his game-winning stop against Young.

Trae churned 30 points against Brooklyn, but he was highly inefficient with 11/24 shooting because of DSJ’s swarming defense and tenacious effort. For this, coach Jacque Vaughn can only commend the 26-year-old’s bold stand to the challenge of containing the Hawks star.

“Dennis was unbelievable when we put him in the game,” Vaughn said. “At times we told him just to guard Trae Young and to figure out how to get through pick-and-roll and switching and not switching. And he was great, even to the last possession the game, we had him in to guard Trae.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Nets and was syndicated with permission.

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