Trae Young Says Referees Are Letting Miami Heat Play Too Aggressive On Defense

Hawks star wants more fouls called on the Heat in series

After Tuesday's loss to the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young took a swipe at the officiating. 

Young said the referees are letting the Heat play too aggressive on defense. 

“It is tough," Young said. "We feel like we let one slide, but we can’t let it linger too far. We have another game in a couple days. If the refs are going to let them be as physical as they are and not call fouls, it is going to be hard to do anything anyways. Got to be a little bit better with knowing where we got to be and be ready to take care [of] home.”

The Heat were called for 24 fouls compared to the Hawks' 26. The Heat were, however, in early foul trouble and were forced to use a 10-man rotation. 

“You really just have to manage the game [with] whatever happens," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You don’t anticipate that that will happen, but I thought Caleb gave us some really good minutes. P.J. slid over to the five, and that was the group that got us to the double-digit lead. Crazy amount of energy. A big spark for our team that you are not necessarily anticipating that will happen. That’s the kind of things that really develop during the playoffs. That’s why we always say ‘all hands on deck.’ You have to be ready at a moment’s notice. It’s a full 15-man rotation at any point during the game. You just have to be ready.”

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