In yet another significant piece of injury-related news in these 2021 NBA playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks learned shortly before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals that Trae Young will not be able to play Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Reporting with @Malika_Andrews: Hawks star Trae Young is out for Game 4 vs. Bucks with a deep bone bruise in his right foot. Young exhausted every avenue to try and find a way to return to play, but a severe lack of mobility and significant degree of pain made it impossible.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2021
Trae Young suffered his foot injury in the second half of the Hawks' Game 3 loss to the Bucks on Sunday night in Atlanta. Young was visibly affected by the injury. He and his Atlanta teammates did not score much after the injury. Coach Nate McMillan's team lacked fluidity and efficiency at the offensive end of the floor.
The emotional impact of the injury was undeniable as well. The Hawks were dazed and in shock while Milwaukee pounced on the opportunity. Khris Middleton cracked the 20-point mark in the fourth quarter alone. He caught fire down the stretch, as the Bucks — down 93-88 a few minutes into the final period — uncorked a 25-9 run to win, 113-102.
The Young injury absence marks the latest significant piece of injury news in a playoff run and a full season defined by superstar injuries, from LeBron James to Anthony Davis to Jamal Murray to Kawhi Leonard and others.
Kawhi's injury is widely regarded as a central reason why the Los Angeles Clippers trail the Phoenix Suns 3-2 after five games of their Western Conference finals series. Young's injury is likely to negatively effect the Hawks in Game 4 of the Bucks. No word has emerged on Young's playing status for Game 5 on Thursday in Milwaukee.
It also has to be said that the Hawks are playing this series without wing De'Andre Hunter. Atlanta somehow managed to beat the Philadelphia 76ers without Hunter… and Trae Young was without question the main reason the No. 5 seed in the East was able to topple the No. 1 seed in seven games.
The Atlanta Hawks, by winning one game in the East finals, have already stamped themselves as the most successful single-season Atlanta basketball team in NBA history. Their ceiling, however, might have been limited with this breaking news just before tipoff time.
Game 4 is Tuesday night, with the Hawks trailing the Bucks 2-1 in the series.
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