As the Atlanta Hawks push for the playoffs, they will have to do without their star point guard, Trae Young.
Young is set to be sidelined for at least a month after suffering a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger during last Friday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors.
“You feel awful for Trae more than anything,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said via ESPN. “It is going to be a challenge for him not to be out there.”
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Young is amid another highly productive campaign, ranking 11th in the league in scoring with 26.4 points and second with 10.8 assists. Meanwhile, he’s shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.
He’s been the Hawks’ top offensive factor, and his absence pushes Dejounte Murray into that role. Murray will take over as the primary ball handler and decision-maker.
He’s putting together a productive season, averaging 21.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and 36.0 percent from 3-point range.
Read: Jaelan Phillips ‘Motivated To Get Back For The Season’
Murray is coming off back-to-back 20-point double-doubles in his last two games.
“We don’t have any excuses. This is the NBA,” Murray said. “Obviously, we want him to get back as soon as he can. But while he’s out, next man up. That’s it. There’s opportunities for guys to show why they are in the NBA.”
The Hawks are sitting in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standing. This puts them in the final position for the play-in tournament to compete for a playoff berth.
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