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The Atlanta Hawks have been surprisingly disappointing despite Trae Young's efforts. Although Atlanta reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, the Hawks are 12th in the East, hold a 16-20 record and haven't won back-to-back games in more than a month.
Young has been the catalyst for the offense, as expected. Without him, it is hard to say they would have such an impressive offensive rating. They have the second-best offensive rating (114.0) in the league, thanks to Young's scoring ability and impressive court vision to drop dimes.
Despite a 136-131 loss at the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, Young registered a career-high 56 points and 14 assists. It is surprising to see such a dominating performance not translate to a win.
The Hawks are 5-11 in their past 16 games, including 1-4 in their last five outings. They need wins to gradually make their way into playoff contention. The Kings (16-23) are almost back to full health and could exploit the Hawks' weak defense. That's why Atlanta is eager to know if it will be playing with its best offensive player.
What is Trae Young's status for tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings?
According to the team's official injury report, Young is listed as "questionable" against the Kings on Wednesday night due to soreness in his lower back. However, Young has played through injuries before and might suit up.
Young's status remains day-to-day, which means the medical team will make a decision based on how he is feeling ahead of the game. If he is fit enough, there is a high chance he will be available to help the Hawks as they go in search of win No. 17.
When will Trae Young return?
Playing with any kind of injury in the NBA can be detrimental as the player runs the risk of aggravating it and missing an extended period. Nonetheless, Young played through the injury against Portland and put together a career night.
There is no timeline for his full recovery. Seeing as he can play through it, it will undoubtedly be sooner rather than later if he does not re-aggravate the injury.
How does Trae Young's absence impact the Hawks?
The Hawks haven't won consecutive games since a five-game winning streak ended in late November. Without Young, winning will be much more difficult as he is the mastermind of their offense.
In the three games Young has missed, Atlanta went 1-2 and did not score 100 points in either of those games. His average of 28.4 points and 9.5 assists have helped the Hawks remain a threat offensively.
