Trae Young Injures Ankle in Game 3 Loss; Referee's Foot Caused Hawks Star MRI Prior Game 4
The Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young stepped on the foot of a referee in late in the 3rd quarter of their Game 3 match-up against the Milwaukee Bucks which ended up in an apparent ankle injury. This sent him to get an MRI prior to Game 4.
Further Assessment Needed
The Hawks guard had been sensational in his first playoff run. Young showed to the league that he should be considered as a star and he was unstoppable until his ankle tweaked. The injury of Young cost them Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks led for most minutes in Game 3 until the Trae Young injury.
According to CBS Sports, it was late in the third quarter when the injury happened. Young was along the sideline and tried to pass the ball inside the paint but it was deflected by Jrue Holiday. When he turned to try and run back on defense, Young stepped back right onto the foot of the referee. Young sprained his ankle in the process and stayed down until the play was stopped.
When the Hawks lost their main man, the Milwaukee Bucks immediately grabbed the chance to take the lead. The Bucks, headed by their star forward Khris Middleton made a fourth-quarter scoring surge to take the upper hand in the East Finals series.
ALSO READ: Milwaukee Bucks Outscore Atlanta Hawks, Secure Second-Largest Halftime Lead In NBA Finals History
Meanwhile, after a short evaluation, Young was immediately brought by the medical staff of the Atlanta Hawks to the locker room. Young was walking without too much trouble and returned to the bench early in the fourth quarter. Young was diagnosed with an ankle sprain and given the green light to return to the game.
Any serious injury to the rising star would place the Atlanta Hawks at a huge disadvantage in their series against the Hawks. The injury of Trae Young caused Atlanta to lose against Milwaukee 113-102 in Game 3.
Furthermore, during the postgame interview, Young stated that after the game, his ankle was soring and it hurt him. Young will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the sprain, Sports Illustrated reported. Young also said that he plans to play in Game 4, but he will first receive as much treatment as he can before Tuesday night.
Young has been tremendous in the playoffs. He scored a career-high 48 points in Game 1. Young helped the Hawks get their first conference finals appearance since they moved to Atlanta in 1968.
Young has been the driving force behind the Hawks' surprise success. Heading into Game 3 of the ECF, Young had either scored or assisted on 50.5 percent of the Hawks' field goals. Young produced outstanding numbers in the postseason, but Young's confidence and willingness to step up in big moments is infectious that made a difference.
However, the Milwaukee Bucks had retaken the momentum in the series. The Bucks stars delivered timely. Khris Middleton had his playoff career-high after struggling in Games 1 and 2. The difference in Game 2, the Bucks' guard Jrue Holiday, was missing in Game 3 but still, they got away with the win in Atlanta.
RELATED ARTICLE: Bucks Stun Hawks in Game 3 Victory; Saved by Khris Middleton's Fourth Quarter Dominance
WATCH: Trae Young Steps On Referee's Foot And Injures Ankle In Game 3 -Bleacher Report
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