For the second time this year, the Atlanta Hawks turned to rookie AJ Griffin for a game-winning shot at the rim on a lob, this time beating the Bulls in overtime on an outrageous shot, catching it, spinning, and putting it up to the rim all in one motion to beat the buzzer on an inbounds play with just 0.5 seconds on the clock.
AJ GRIFFIN AT THE BUZZER AGAIN
pic.twitter.com/CTvdPedfZU
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) December 12, 2022
It was the capper to a wild overtime period that saw Atlanta pull ahead by five thanks to a circus shot from Bogdan Bogdanovic, who led the Hawks with 28 points in the game, midway through the OT.
Bogdan Bogdanovic sinks a rainbow over the backboard
BULLS – HAWKS OT on the NBA App
https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/kEUb7Ii50d
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2022
The Bulls would claw their way back to tie the game, only to see Trae Young sink a stepback midrange jumper with one second on the clock to push Atlanta back ahead by two.
ICE TRAE FOR THE LEAD
Trae Young sinks the CLUTCH jumper to give the @ATLHawks the lead with 1 second remaining on the NBA App
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2022
That seemed to ensure that the next Bulls possession would decide the game, but DeMar DeRozan got fouled on a three-point attempt on the catch with 0.5 seconds left, hitting all three to put Chicago up one.
Bogdan fouled DeMar DeRozan behind the arc with 1 second on the clock in OT. Deebo iced all 3 free throws!
pic.twitter.com/vDBrMsgflf
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 12, 2022
Because there were 0.5 seconds left, the Hawks still had a chance for a catch-and-shoot winner, and while the Bulls focused their attention on Young and Bogdanovic, Atlanta snuck the rookie to the rim, cutting back a defender to create space, and then had the body control to finish and get the shot off before the buzzer. It’s a very important win for a Hawks team that has been reeling of late, losing three in a row coming into this amid reports of discontent in the locker room.
One win doesn’t fix everything, but it certainly helps lift the spirits in Atlanta as they move towards trade season with the expectation that some changes are on the horizon. On the other side, the Bulls have a two-game winning streak snapped in painful fashion and slip back to 11-15 on the season, as many wonder if they might fall into a deep enough hole to become a seller at the deadline and shift their focus a bit more to the future.
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