Peachtree Hoops: Trae Young takes down Harrison Barnes in first round of NBA 2K players-only tournament

[Hawksquawk]

Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

With little-to-nothing going on in terms of competition in the sports world, 16 prominent NBA players are participating in an NBA 2K20 tournament, with the winner bringing home a $100,000 charity prize for COVID-19 relief.

TONIGHT: The #NBA2KTourney begins pic.twitter.com/8MYTo6uxYt

— ESPN (@espn) April 3, 2020

Each player was allowed a list of eight teams to choose from, with the caveat of only being able to use each team one time during the tournament. Kevin Durant, who used the Los Angeles Clippers, lost the opening matchup to Derrick Jones Jr. who was using the Milwaukee Bucks. Deandre Ayton (Houston Rockets) took down Zach LaVine (Miami Heat) in the second matchup.

Trae Young chose the Milwaukee Bucks for his matchup with Harrison Barnes, who selected the Toronto Raptors.

TEAM SELECTIONS@hbarnes @Raptors @TheTraeYoung @Bucks

Who you got?

— NBA 2K20 (@NBA2K) April 4, 2020

Young controlled the game from start to finish, leading 10-0 to start the game. Barnes responded with an 11-3 run to close the gap, but Young responded and led 30-15 early in the second quarter. He dominated the rest of the quarter and took a huge lead into the break.

Trae Young is COOKING Harrison Barnes.

( : @NBA) pic.twitter.com/7BEGv2tw7H

— theScore (@theScore) April 4, 2020

Young led by 30 for the bulk of the second half and eventually took home the 101-59 win.

The quarterfinals will be played Tuesday, Apr. 7, beginning at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN2. Young’s second-round opponent is not yet known as the rest of the first round is set to be played Sunday.

Barnes and Young chatted about various topics, from relationships with other players, to what they have each been doing in the down-time during the quarantine period. It was a fun, light watch, and despite the score, it was entertaining to see some sort of NBA competition for a couple hours.

Stay tuned.

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