Southeast Notes: Young, Heat, Bertans, Robinson

Hawks guard Trae Young is expressing frustration over the 2019/20 season despite putting up remarkable numbers on a consistent basis, Sarah Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.

Naturally, Young isn’t satisfied with the campaign due to his team’s poor start at 6-17. Young has raised his scoring average from 19.1 last season to 28.7 this season, also averaging 8.4 assists per game while shooting 46% from the floor and 39% from 3-point territory.

“Even back at Oklahoma, I led the country in points and assists, and I was frustrated, almost after every game, whenever we’d lose,” Young said, as relayed by Spencer. “I had (48) at Oklahoma State and I couldn’t enjoy it because we lost. Those losses, when I play good, stick with me. Because I hate that feeling when I play good individually, numbers-wise, but we don’t win. Because you can’t enjoy it, especially if you’re a competitor like me.”

The Hawks had lost 11 of 12 games leading up to Sunday’s contest against Charlotte. Although Atlanta won that game, the team’s 6-17 record is the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference and tied for the fourth-worst in the NBA.

“You can do a lot more,” Young said. “It’s crazy to say, it’s crazy to hear, but that’s just the realness. I think I can do a lot more. And whether it’s sliding over and taking charges on big men while they’re rolling, doing something. I can do more. I’ve just got to figure it out and find a way. I’ve got to figure it out and our team has to do a better job of figuring it out, too. We’ll get it right.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

• The Heat are in a comfort zone and likely won’t be going anywhere in terms of where they stand in the Eastern Conference, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Miami will have a 17-6 record entering Tuesday’s game against Atlanta, where they’ll look to extend their home record to 11-0. The team is in the midst of a four-game homestand, which is followed by a three-game road trip that begins on December 14 and another four-game homestand that starts on December 20. “We certainly have been on the road often,” Meyers Leonard said. “Simple things such as sleeping in your own bed and being in your own bed and being in your home arena, being in your own locker room, those kinds of things matter.” To date, 13 of the team’s 23 games have come on the road.
• Wizards forward Davis Bertans is on track for a historic season shooting the ball from 3-point range, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. Bertans has connected on 78 threes through 21 games, making a remarkable 45% of his attempts. Katz also examines the possibility of Bertans being traded before the February deadline, with the team looking to prep for the future and the UFA-to-be looking like a potentially valuable trade chip.
• Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe examines the journey of Heat forward Duncan Robinson, who started in New Hampshire and has continued his path to become an NBA starter with Miami. Robinson has started in 18 of 23 games with Miami this season, scoring 11 points per contest on 43% shooting from downtown.