Atlanta Hawks sweat on Trae Young fitness as star 'questionable' for Game 4 with ankle problem
Coverage of the NBA playoffs continues on Tuesday night as the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 up in the Eastern Conference Finals; join us live from 1:30am on Sky Sports Main Event & Arena
Tuesday 29 June 2021 11:49, UK
Trae Young is 'questionable' for Tuesday night's clash between the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks after he tweaked his ankle during Game 3.
The sprain happened late in the third quarter of Game 3 on Sunday when he inadvertently stepped on the right foot of sideline official Sean Wright.
Young returned to the court after a brief trip to the locker room for treatment but was hampered by the injury down the stretch.
If Young can't play, the Atlanta Hawks will have a tough time trying to score against what has been the best defense in the playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks have allowed 103.2 points per 100 possessions over their 14 postseason games, and in the conference finals, Atlanta has scored just 84.0 per 100 in 35 minutes with Young off the floor. That number is even lower (35 points on 50 offensive possessions - 70 per 100) if you discount the garbage-time fourth quarter of Game 2.
The Hawks have secondary playmakers, but they haven't found a way to score without their star. Over the entire playoffs, Atlanta has scored 21.0 more points per 100 possessions with Young on the floor (111.2) than they have with him off the floor (90.2). That's the biggest on-off differential among rotation players on the four teams that reached the conference finals.
Given those stats, it's no surprise that his team-mates recognise how vital he is to their chances.
"That's the head of our snake," Hawks forward John Collins said Monday afternoon. "That's the last thing I feel like anybody who is a Hawks supporter wants to see is that dude coming down with any sort of knickknack or whatever it is. I think he stepped on the official's foot or somebody's foot.
"That's the last thing I want to see. I hate to see it, and just hoping, praying that he's going to be OK."
The player had an MRI scan on Monday night and the Hawks have yet to announce what exactly that means for his status heading into Tuesday's game.
Coach Nate McMillan said on Monday his team will just be resting up to ensure they, including Young, are ready to go again as they aim to level the series at 1-1 on Tuesday.
"He's feeling OK," McMillan said, when asked about his star guard's condition. "He's disappointed in the loss. Just as most guys, they have something that's going on, whether it's an injury or some soreness. Today is a day to take care of whatever it is that you need to get yourself ready for tomorrow.
"So that's where Trae is at. He's getting what he needs, which is a little treatment, and whatever else he needs, whether it's a massage or whatever, to get himself ready for tomorrow."
Clint Capela admitted that if Young is unavailable or at less than the peak of his powers on Tuesday, the Hawks will need to vary up their gameplan.
"Yeah, obviously we're going to have to adapt," Capela said. "I don't know how - I mean, how many percent he's going to be or what kind of Trae he's going to be. Even the fact that he's out there with us, it means a lot already, in our minds and everything.
"As long as hopefully he can be out there with us, I don't know if he will or not, but hopefully he is."
Watch the Atlanta Hawks in action against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 live on Sky Sports Main Event & Arena, live from 1:30am on Tuesday night.
