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AJ Griffin becomes fourth Hawks rookie to make 100 3-pointers in a season

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated06 Apr 2023

AJ Griffin becomes fourth Hawks rookie to make 100 3-pointers in a season

AJ Griffin knocked down his 100th 3-pointer of the season in Wednesday night’s 134-116 win over the Washington Wizards, becoming the fourth Atlanta Hawks rookie to knock down at least 100 3s in a rookie season. Griffin joins Trae Young (156), Kevin Huerter (136), and De’Andre Hunter (108).

The 16th overall pick out of Duke from last year’s draft logged 16 points, three rebounds, and one assist in 23 minutes off the bench. Plus, Griffin shot 6-of-9 (66.7%) from the floor and 4-of-6 (66.7%) beyond the arc.

Upon further review of some NBA betting sites, AJ Griffin and the Hawks have 16th-ranked odds to win the championship. A few sportsbooks are showing greater odds for the Miami Heat and New York Knicks.

Through 71 appearances and 11 starts of his rookie season, AJ Griffin is averaging 8.8 points, 2.1 boards, 1.0 assist, and 19.3 minutes per game. Not to mention, the forward is shooting 46.7% from the field and 39.4% outside the arc. Griffin, 19, is tied with Paul Graham (100) at 47th for the most 3-pointers made in franchise history.

Additionally, Griffin scored a season-high 24 points in wins against the Milwaukee Bucks (Nov. 7) and Denver Nuggets (Dec. 2). In the Hawks’ 117-109 victory against Denver, the forward notched three boards, one assist, and three steals while shooting 11-of-16 (68.8%) from the floor and drained two 3-pointers.

AJ Griffin becomes fourth Hawks rookie to hit 100 3-pointers in a season, joins Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, and De’Andre Hunter

Young returned on Wednesday after missing one game due to the flu. The two-time All-Star ended his performance with 25 points, two rebounds, and 16 assists in 39 minutes played.

More importantly, the Hawks have scored 100 or more points in a franchise-record 55 straight games. Jalen Johnson added 16 points and eight rebounds in the second unit as well. With AJ Griffin healthy, Atlanta’s bench is killing it.

“We have a lot of guys who are prepared,” Hawks coach Quinn Snyder said. “There are limited minutes, and some tough decisions have to be made. One of the things about our bench is the acceptance of a role. To put the team first is not something you take for granted.”

Although the Hawks are two games above .500, the Brooklyn Nets won 123-108 over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. This means Atlanta cannot finish as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and will have to participate in the Play-In Tournament for a second straight season.

If Trae Young and AJ Griffin can continue to play at a high level, a playoff appearance could be in the works. Atlanta holds the No. 8 spot and has a one-game lead over the ninth-seeded Toronto Raptors.

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