The Atlanta Hawks will want to forget Sunday night’s Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks as soon as possible. Not only did they lose the game 113-102 and give the Bucks a 2-1 lead in the series, but they also saw their star point guard Trae Young go down with a sprained ankle.
Being blown out in Game 2, the Hawks entered Game 3 much better. They opened the first quarter with a 7-0 run and were in the lead for the better part of the first three quarters.
The turning point for Atlanta happened in the last minute of the third quarter when Young stepped on the foot of the referee Sean Wright and injured his ankle. The 22-year-old All-Star fell to the ground in pain and was forced to go to the locker room for examination.
Young eventually returned on the floor early in the fourth quarter but looked obviously bothered by the injury. After scoring 32 in the first three quarters, he only managed to get three points in the final period.
With Young struggling, Milwaukee was able to erase Atlanta’s lead and comfortably get ahead to close out the game. Khris Middleton played a major role in the comeback for the Bucks, outscoring the Hawks by himself in the fourth quarter and finishing the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
Milwaukee’s superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a big outing, posting a double-double with 33 points and 11 boards. Bobby Portis added 15 points off the bench.
The series remains in Atlanta for Game 4 and resumes on Thursday. It is unclear whether Young, who is set to have an MRI on his ankle, will be ready to go by then.
“I got some treatment on it. I’m going to go get some more in the morning. That’s all I can do right now, is to get treatment,” said Youn about the injury.
