6 reasons the Hawks-Bulls tank-off was accidentally awesome

A whole bunch of young guys combined for a ridiculously high-scoring quadruple-overtime delight.

The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks played the 15th quadruple-overtime game in NBA history, making the third-highest scoring game ever one of the greatest tank-offs we could’ve ever asked for. The final score was 168-161, with Chicago on top. Atlanta really earned its extra Zion Williamson lottery balls there.

The game’s standouts were Trae Young and Zach LaVine, who both notched career-highs in scoring at 49 and 47 points respectively. Despite both the Bulls’ and Hawks’ terrible, bottom-5 records, they both have promising talent.

Though none of the wildly close ends to overtimes featured a true buzzer-beater, the night had plenty of memorable minutes. It also had a horde of exhausted players, including four guys who notched over 50 minutes. Conditioning was tested!

Here are the best moments from Friday night’s accidentally most exciting game.

1. Trae Young’s ball-handling

Young was the night’s hero, claiming most of the best highlight plays of the game. He’s burst on to the scene in recent weeks, making a late claim to Rookie of the Year votes, and used all four overtimes to show why.

Young’s hesitations and in-and-out dribbles had defenders on skates all night, no matter how late in the game. This dribble series and blow-by on Lauri Markkanen came in the second overtime.

2. Trae Young’s range

Young was also hitting absolute bombs from deep outside the three-point arc. He finished 6-of-13 from distance.

This was from the logo!

3. Trae Young’s clutch shots

Young’s most impressive shots might’ve been the two he hit in crunch time of regulation and overtime. His first saw him shake Kris Dunn off the bounce, and step-back into a long triple. That could’ve won the game!

The second saw Young just burst past the entirety of Chicago’s defense to lay the ball in with a second to go and tie the game.

With 49 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds, Young totaled a Hawks rookie scoring record, and had the most impressive all-around game of the night.

4. Lauri Markkanen double-doubled with 31 points despite being sick

Markkanen might be Chicago’s best young talent, and his 31-point, 17-rebound double-double showed why. He scored on cuts to the rim, lobs to the rim, and shots from deep.

He also disappeared in some stretches, which we later found out was because of illness.

“I felt a little weird. I don’t know what it was,” Markkanen said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I wouldn’t say I had the flu, but something was bothering me in the first half. I kind of felt my heart rate getting up real quick, so I’m glad he took me out and got me back in a little later.” Yikes!

5. Zach LaVine scored 21 points in 20 minutes of OT

LaVine’s 47 points came off 35 shots, and nearly half of those points came in the extra time. LaVine had no problem taking the ball over when it comes down to winning games. He sunk 6-of-14 threes, and had nine rebounds and nine assists, too.

6. 42-year-old Vince Carter played 44 minutes, and he’s still ready to go

Carter scored 13 points, and sunk 3-of-10 three-point shots, showing he still has the legs to compete — even in unreasonably long games.

He even threw down a one-handed dunk in the fourth quarter:

Don’t insult Carter about his age, though. He had an incredible postgame interview where he coerced a reporter who was dancing around the thought, finally call out his age.

Reporter: Do you think you’re going to play Sunday?

Carter: Why not? Go ahead, say it man.

Reporter: At lot has been made playing 45 minutes at your age. [Carter starts laughing.] You may feel it tomorrow.

Carter: Yeah, probably. But I still get tomorrow... I get a day. That’s ok, whatever I have to do I’ll do it. I’ve been around... I plan on playing.

Get ready for Sunday, because the Hawks and Bulls are playing all over again in Chicago.