Young’s skill makes converts

The Rockets did not have to go against Atlanta rookie Trae Young on Tuesday to have been won over. His performance last month in Houston, when he had 36 points against the Rockets during a fivegame run in which he averaged 34.8 points, showed plenty.

“I think he’s been great,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “That’s really the first time I’ve ever watched him play. You see a bit on tape. You watch a little bit on highlights. I don’t scout and I don’t do that stuff. Up close and personal, he’s really good. He’s had a great year. It should be exciting for the fans here and the organization because that kid can play.”

Young has averaged 18.4 points on 40.9 percent shooting, coming on well in the second half of the season. James Harden, described him as “unbelievable.”

“He started off pretty good, but this last month or two, he took it to another level,” Harden said. “He’s been aggressive. He’s getting his teammates involved. He’s knocking down shots. He has a long way to go, but it’s pretty fun to watch.”

At 6-2, 180, there have been questions about how Young will match up defensively, but Chris Paul, who is two inches shorter, said it can be done.

“Draft night there was a certain commentator said I was going to be too small to play in this league,” Paul said. “There’s been a lot of great small players. Trae’s going to be fine.

“The frustrating part is when you watch their games, some of the commentators are like, “Why

is he shooting that deep.’ He’s been doing that since he played AAU. Get used to it. He’s one of the most skilled players you’ll ever see. I could never shoot like that, off the dribble, left hand, right hand. He brings a flair to the game and exciting to watch.”

Paul expected to be a Hawk

The Hawks had long been second-guessed for the 2005 NBA draft when theyneeded a point

guard and instead took forward Marvin Williams with the second pick, passing on Deron Williams and Chris Paul, who went with the next two picks.

Paul, however, said fans expecting the point guard solution to head to Atlanta were not alone.

“I got up at the draft,” Paul said of when the second pick was about to be announced. “They pretty much told me they were picking me. I found a house (in Gwinnett County) and everything.”

Nene, Shumpert, Gordon get rest

With Rockets playing a back-to-back in Atlanta on Tuesday and Memphis on Wednesday, they continued with their plan to spread out late-season days off. Veteran center Nene is scheduled to sit out both games while Iman Shumpert was held out against the Hawks and Eric Gordon will sit against the Grizzlies.

In Sunday’s 117-102 win over Minnesota, the Rockets sat Kenneth Faried and Austin Rivers.

“It’s all unproven science, but if guys need rest, if they want to do it, that’s when we’re going to do it,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Nene is at the stage of his career where he needs it. Everybody’s situation is a little different. Shump is just coming back. He didn’t play back-to-backs this year. He’s in a good place. We’re going to keep him there. Everybody else, we’ll just see if we need to do it. If they need to do it, we will.”

With the Rockets at full strength, they have the option of resting players and keep a deep rotation.

“It’s good that we’re able to do that,” Gordon said. “It shows we have a deep team and it can get other guys going.”

After Shumpert had seven points and six rebounds off the bench Sunday, his most productive game since joining the team, the Rockets wanted to be careful with him in back-to-backs while he works his way back from last season’s knee surgery.