Is Trae Young playing tonight against Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals?
Trae Young's availability remains a major concern for the Atlanta Hawks as they prepare to host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday. The Hawks trail the series 2-3 and a loss tonight would send them home.
Young suffered a bone bruise in his right foot after inadvertently stepping on an official in the third quarter of Game 3 against the Bucks. He toughed it out for the remainder of that matchup but has missed two games since then.
Backup guard Lou Williams stepped up in Trae Young's absence in Game 4, dropping 21 points and dishing out eight dimes to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a win. The Milwaukee Bucks hit back in the next fixture, though, with four of their starters scoring over 20 points to give them a pivotal series lead.
Is Trae Young ready to return to action against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals?
As per the latest injury report submitted by the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young is still questionable for tonight's all-important matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. But there are some positive signs to suggest Young might suit up after all.
For starters, head coach Nate McMillan has confirmed that the decision to play tonight will be taken by Trae Young himself, based on whether he feels he's fit enough. Earlier today, Young's teammate Kevin Huerter confirmed that the Hawks' talisman attended the team's shootaround as well.
There's no guarantee that Trae Young will participate in tonight's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, but it isn't far-fetched to assume that he's likely to play. It's a risk worth taking considering the do-or-die nature of the situation that the Hawks are in.
Trae Young has averaged 29.8 points and 9.5 assists per game so far during his first-ever playoffs campaign. He torched the Milwaukee Bucks with 48 points and 11 assists in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He had even scored 31 points through three quarters before injuring his right foot in Game 3.
The Atlanta Hawks stand a much better chance of beating the Milwaukee Bucks with Trae Young in the rotation even if he isn't at his best. His mere presence opens up several avenues for the Hawks to exploit on the offensive front. If they're able to capitalize on these opportunities, we may just see this series extend to seven games.
Also read: Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks: Injury Report, Predicted Lineups and Starting 5s - July 3rd, 2021 | Game 6, 2021 NBA Playoffs