CHICAGO _ After the Bulls held Hawks star Trae Young to nine points, three assists and four turnovers last month in Atlanta, the Hawks had a plan to counter the Bulls' strategy.
"Quickness," Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said before Wednesday's game at the United Center. "He's very good at rejecting pick and roll, he's very good changing speeds before the double team can get there, before guys can get their hands on him."
So much for best-laid plans.
The Bulls blew the Hawks out of the building, 136-102, and stifled any ideas Young would repeat his 49-point performance in a four-overtime game against the Bulls on March 1.
Young might consider filing a restraining order against Kris Dunn, who bodied and bothered Young and played a large role in his game-high seven turnovers, two which came on Dunn steals and crowded him so closely on one possession that he caused Young to step out of bounds. Young also was 1 of 6 from 3-point range.
You know you put on a defensive showcase when you overshadow Zach LaVine's game-high 35 points, including a perfect 7 for 7 on 3-pointers, and Lauri Markkanen showing a strong interior game on his 22 points.
Wendell Carter Jr. had his 13th double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Alex Len led Atlanta with 17 points and Young had 15 points and 13 assists.
But more on Dunn. The Hawks knew how the Bulls planned to deploy him but couldn't stop it.
"He's a good defender. He's a physical defender," Pierce said before the game. "We know how they're going to try and be physical with Trae from the start.
"They've used a couple different guys. Kris is the more physical, Tomas Satoransky is the more cerebral, positioning, using his size and length, just really trying to contain and bother him with that.
"There's no concern as to who, we're more concerned with can we execute when they blitz, can we execute when they hedge, can we execute when they have different defenders."
