Do the Bucks need Giannis Antetokunmpo more than the Hawks need Trae Young?

The Atlanta Hawks remarkably got back into the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night with a surprising 110-88 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The reason why this win was a significant surprise was because their star point guard, Trae Young, was out with a deep bone bruise in his foot, and the Milwaukee Bucks entered the game with a healthy lineup.

The keyword in the last sentence was “entered.” Yes, the Bucks have not had shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo in their lineup since May 27, because of a torn ligament in his left ankle he suffered against the Miami Heat, but the core of the Bucks had remained healthy. Those included Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez.

However, on Tuesday, Anteotokounmpo injured his knee, in what appears to be a hyperextension. Initial reports at this time are that there is no structural damage. Any loss of Antetokounmpo for any games in the 2021 NBA Playoffs is gigantic. The fact that the Bucks were outscored 48-36 by the Hawks after Antetokounmpo left the game in the third quarter came as no surprise.

What was the surprise was the fact that the Hawks had a 62-52 lead at the time in the third quarter when Pat Connaughton replaced Antetokounmpo. The Hawks did not seem to miss Young too much in game four. That is because Lou Williams came into a starting role, and was marvelous, as he led the team with 21 points and eight rebounds. As the series moves forward, one needs to ask who will miss their star the most? In game four, it was clearly the Bucks.

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