NBA Recap: Trae Young's Game-Winner Highlights Exciting Night of Action

The Atlanta Hawks stunned the Utah Jazz with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, while the Boston Celtics beat the Denver Nuggets in a thrilling night of NBA action.

Trae Young's incredible buzzer-beating three-pointer propelled the Atlanta Hawks to a thrilling 124-121 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. The game was neck and neck until the very end, with Collin Sexton's three-pointer tying the score at 121-121 with just four seconds left. However, Young had one last trick up his sleeve, sinking a dramatic 49-foot three-pointer at the buzzer to secure the Hawks' victory.

The Boston Celtics also emerged victorious, defeating the Denver Nuggets 118-106 in a battle between the last two NBA champions. Jayson Tatum led the charge with 29 points, while Kristaps Porzingis added 25 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics' strong performance in the paint, outscoring the Nuggets 60-46, was a key factor in their win.

Trae Young's incredible half-court buzzer-beater stunned the Utah Jazz, lifting the Atlanta Hawks to a 124-121 victory. The shot, Young's third career buzzer-beater according to the Hawks, came after it seemed the game was destined for overtime. Young finished with an impressive 24 points and 20 assists, helping the Hawks improve their record to 19-18. Despite Lauri Markkanen's 35 points for the Jazz, Young's heroics secured the win for Atlanta.

Absolute scenes! pic.twitter.com/g0MITcjXxN

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2025

In another exciting matchup, the Boston Celtics, the reigning NBA champions, took down the 2023 title holders, the Denver Nuggets, 118-106. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 29 points, while Kristaps Porzingis added 25. Porzingis got off to a hot start, scoring 15 points in the first quarter, which helped the Celtics build a 37-25 lead. However, the Nuggets fought back, tying the game 57-57 at halftime. Russell Westbrook paced Denver with 26 points, with five other players scoring in double figures. Ultimately, the Celtics' 15-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter sealed the win, overcoming the absence of Denver's star player Nikola Jokic due to illness.

Anthony Edwards stole the show in New Orleans, scoring 32 points and grabbing nine rebounds to propel the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 104-97 win over the Pelicans. The victory spoiled the highly anticipated return of Zion Williamson, who had been sidelined for two months due to injury. Williamson put up an impressive 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, but it wasn't enough to overcome Edwards' dominant performance. Dejounte Murray led the Pelicans with 29 points, while CJ McCollum struggled, scoring just five points on a dismal one-for-14 shooting.

The Dallas Mavericks, depleted by injuries, found an unlikely hero in Quentin Grimes as they routed the Los Angeles Lakers 118-97, snapping a five-game losing streak. Grimes, coming off the bench, scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, connecting on six of the Mavericks' 18 three-pointers. The win was a much-needed boost for Dallas, which had struggled since losing Luka Doncic to a calf strain on Christmas Day. With Doncic still sidelined, the Mavericks announced on Monday that Kyrie Irving would also be out for an extended period due to a lower back sprain. Despite these setbacks, Dallas showed resilience and determination in their convincing victory over the Lakers.

Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James added 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. However, the Dallas Mavericks out-rebounded the Lakers 44-33, including 11 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points, compared to the Lakers' seven. P.J. Washington scored 22 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 19, and Klay Thompson chipped in 13 for Dallas, which moved ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference standings.

Quentin Grimes, who scored 23 points off the bench for Dallas, emphasized the importance of bouncing back from a five-game losing streak. “We knew we had to get back on track,” Grimes told broadcaster TNT. “Came out with the right mindset after dropping five in a row, so good to get back on track.” The Mavericks' victory marked a significant turnaround for the team, which had struggled in the absence of injured stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The thing about jazz is...you gotta improvise 😎 pic.twitter.com/Ek1UaJATqz

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2025

In another matchup, the Charlotte Hornets snapped their 10-game losing streak with a 115-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Miles Bridges added 21 points. The Hornets took control of the game in the second quarter, out-scoring the Suns 37-17. Despite 39 points and 10 assists from Devin Booker, and 26 points from Kevin Durant, the Suns have now lost five of their last six games.