The Atlanta Hawks are back on the road, as they suit up for their next challenge against the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are coming off an impressive last-minute win against the West’s No. 1 seed, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and hence, will have some momentum against the visiting team. With just 8 games left on the calendar, the upcoming stretch of games will be of paramount importance for teams like Atlanta, who are trying to make a push for the playoffs.
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The match-up between Atlanta and Chicago at United Center will be crucial because the Bulls are sitting at the 9th spot in the East, just two games ahead of Atlanta. If the Hawks wish to hold onto their play-in spot or move up the rankings, they will need to rack up a string of wins in their upcoming games. That being said, the Hawks will miss some of their important players. As per the team’s recent injury report, Trae Young, Saddiq Bey, AJ Griffin, and others like Onyeka Okongwu and Mo Gueye have all been ruled ‘out’ for the team’s game tonight against the Bulls.
Trae Young will miss the game tomorrow, as the 6’1 point-guard is currently nursing his right hand after recently undergoing an operation. Young sustained the injury (torn radial collateral ligament, left fifth finger) during a loss against the Toronto Raptors at the start of March. The sharpshooter has been absent from all team scrimmages and games ever since.
The Hawks have been providing fans with information about Young’s progress. Just a week ago, sources pointed to Young making significant strides in his rehabilitation process, post-surgery. The team is yet to give a definitive timeline for Trae Young’s return, as the Hawks enter the final two weeks of the regular season.
The Hawks might not make the playoffs
The Atlanta Hawks are currently sitting at the 10th spot in the East, as they gear up for this year’s play-in tournament. The Hawks are a whole five games ahead of 11th place Brooklyn, and shouldn’t face any real threat of losing their play-in spot. But looking at the remaining play-in teams, it’s obvious that the Hawks won’t be able to make a deep run this year.
In the absence of Young, the Hawks will not have the required firepower to deal with the likes of the 76ers and possibly the Miami Heat. The 25-year-old was an integral part of the Hawks’ schematics before he went down, averaging 26.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 10.8 assists a game on 58.1% shooting this season.
The Hawks management will have to engage in some serious trade talks this off-season, as the Atlanta-based team needs some serious personnel change. The team will also have to decide between keeping Young and Murray, as rumors point to either one of the Atlanta guards leaving this off-season.
