With Trae Young hurt, which 3 players need to step up for Atlanta Hawks against Milwaukee Bucks? | 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals
The Milwaukee Bucks recovered a 15-point deficit to win Game 3 at the Atlanta Hawks' home floor in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2021 NBA playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton combined for 71 points and 22 rebounds, spoiling Trae Young's 35-point outing.
The Atlanta Hawks, though underdogs in this series, have another opportunity to win a game at home to tie the series at two games apiece. However, other players need to step up, as Trae Young hurt his ankle late in Game 3 and might not be 100% heading into Game 4.
Young stepped over the official, Sean Wright's foot and tweaked his ankle, following which he had to be escorted to the locker room.
Trae Young said about his ankle injury after his team's Game 3 loss:
"It's sore right now. It's hurting. It's frustrating."
2021 NBA Playoffs: Who needs to step up for the Atlanta Hawks now that Trae Young is injured?
The Atlanta Hawks don't have All-Stars or All-NBA players on their roster, but they defied all odds to reach the conference finals.
They play as a cohesive unit, and every player who steps on the court is up for the challenge. They are led by their gunslinger Trae Young, who is now hobbling with an injury, though.
On that note, let us take a look at three players who need to step up in Game 4 to help the Atlanta Hawks draw parity in the series.
#1 Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic has been utterly underwhelming in the ongoing 2021 NBA playoffs.
Even with Young on the floor, Bogdanovic was the best shooter for the Atlanta Hawks in the regular season. He shot 43.8% from beyond the arc and was the third-highest scorer, with 16.4 points per game. However, his production has taken an alarming dip in the postseason.
Bogdanovic is now down to 29% from the three-point range and is averaging just over 12 points a night.
Bogdan Bogdanovic has scored single-digit points in his last six consecutive playoff games for the Atlanta Hawks, shooting 16% from downtown. Clearly, he needs to step up and knock down his shots, or else the Hawks' postseason journey could end in the Conference Finals.