Chicago Bulls Spoil Return of Trae Young in Win Over Atlanta Hawks

(Photo : Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after hitting a three-point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at State Farm Arena on November 22, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Trae Young's first game back from COVID-19 did not go according to plan as the Atlanta Hawks suffered a 130-118 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. It was a disappointing defeat for the Hawks, who dropped to 15-18 for the season and 8-9 at home.

Young returns after missing 3 games due to COVID-19

The Hawks got a major boost about 90 minutes before tip-off when Young was cleared from the league's health and safety protocols. He became available for the clash against the Bulls after returning two negative COVID-19 tests. The Hawks struggled with Young on the sidelines, going 1-2 after their star point guard got sick with the coronavirus.

Young has been a vital cog for the Hawks' offense, averaging 27.3 points and 9.3 assists per game this season. He is ranked third in the NBA in assists and fourth in scoring, demonstrating his importance to Atlanta.

Young provided an immediate impact as he and Cam Reddish combined for 23 points in the opening period. That helped Atlanta build a 36-31 advantage after the first quarter. However, the Bulls came roaring back in the second quarter, erasing an eight-point deficit and tying the game at 46-all with Ayo Dosunmu's dunk.

The Bulls stretched their advantage to 11 points in the closing minute of the second quarter before settling for a 69-63 lead at the halftime interval. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine led the charge for the Bulls during that period, scoring a combined 44 points. The Bulls were on fire from deep, knocking down nine of their 18 3-point attempts.

DeRozan, LaVine, Vucevic star in win

The Bulls continued to pile on the pressure in the second half, stretching their lead to 16 points in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Atlanta tried to make a late charge, slicing the deficit to five points early in the fourth courtesy of two 3-pointers by Reddish. Nikola Vucevic quelled the Hawks' uprising, knocking down back-to-back attempts from deep to seal the win for the Bulls.

DeRozan led all Bulls scorers with 35 points on 14 of 20 shooting from the field. LaVine scored 30 points in his second game back after missing 15 days due to COVID-19 protocols. He did not show any rust at all, making 11 of his 21 field goal attempts, including going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Vucevic wreaked havoc down low for the Bulls, registering his 14th double-double of the season with 24 points and 17 boards. With the victory, the Bulls extended their winning streak to four games. They improved to 21-10, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks, on the other hand, are moving in the opposite direction as they continue to tumble down the standings. The Hawks have now lost their last eight games at home as they dropped to 12th place in the Eastern Conference.