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Anfernee Simons had a splendid game for the Portland Trail Blazers as he helped the team overcome Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. The youngster registered 43 points and dedicated his jaw-dropping performance to his grandfather, who lost his battle with cancer a day before the game. It was a vital performance from Simons as the team were playing without Damian Lillard.
His stunning night also put the efforts of Trae Young in vain. The Hawks guard scored 56 points and dropped 14 dimes in this loss to the Trail Blazers. When asked about his performance in the game during the courtside walk-off, Anfernee Simons said:
"Just playing hard, working together. I really can't take credit for how well I played tonight... sadly my grandpa died yesterday from cancer and it's all him, honestly, so I give credit to him and I dedicate this whole game to him so like I said, I can't take credit for this, that was all him."
Simons shot 9 of 16 from three-point range and also converted all eight of his free throws. His exceptional play propelled the team to their 14th win of the season. Although it was a tough night for him, the youngster decided to take the floor to honor his grandfather. When asked how many times he thought of his grandfather during the game, Anfernee Simons said:
"The whole game, you know it's a sad kind of day... he would want me to play today, so I wanted to go out there and play my game to the best of my abilities. It was all him that took over my body today."
It was the Trail Blazers' first win in four games. Playing without the likes of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, many would have counted them out. However, Simons had other plans as he led the way from the start to help the team get a win.
Anfernee Simons scores 43 points to spoil Trae Young's 56 point night
The Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers engaged in a high scoring encounter at the Moda Center. It was clear that both teams needed a win as they put in a tough fight right from the tip-off. The Trail Blazers eventually took the lead going into halftime, as they scored 70 points as compared to the 65 scored by the Hawks.
Trae Young had a sensational first half, as he ended up scoring 29 points. However, Anfernee Simons was red hot throughout the game. He was in a great offensive flow and looked to convert nearly every shot that he took. The youngster helped his team take a double digit lead in the third but the Hawks were not ready to let go that easily.
In the end, the Trail Blazers had a great fourth quarter to close things out. Trae Young did his best to fight back, but it was too late, as the Trail Blazers held on to take a thrilling 136-131 win on the night. Portland will take on the Miami Heat next, at home on Wednesday, January 5. They will be hoping to have another great game there and get their season back on track.
