Trae Younger’s Availability in Doubt for Upcoming Match In opposition to Hornets

Atlanta Hawks star level guard Trae Younger is nearing a return from his knee harm after being upgraded to questionable to play Thursday in opposition to the Hornets in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Younger was a full participant in follow Wednesday. It was his second follow after he scrimmaged with the Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, on Tuesday.

Younger has been out since he suffered a proper MCL sprain throughout a win in opposition to the Nets in Brooklyn on Oct. 29.

“It is my knee, one thing that needed to take a bit of extra time than another accidents,” Younger advised reporters after follow in Atlanta on Wednesday. “… I really feel good. [My conditioning is] going to get higher as you play. They would not even permit me to come back again and even be near coming again if my conditioning wasn’t proper or near it.”

Atlanta is 15-12 regardless of coping with quite a few accidents over the previous month. Younger has missed 22 straight video games.

Younger mentioned throughout his trip, he noticed how the Hawks thrived at instances and the way to maintain that whereas including to areas that the group has struggled in with out him.

“I see sure issues that our group is doing actually good that I wish to hold permitting our group to do,” he mentioned. “However then there are occasions after we are struggling or instances when it appears type of robust on guys, and I wish to make it simpler for them.

“For me since Day 1, I’ve all the time felt I used to be a puzzle piece to the massive puzzle. I by no means felt like I used to be the entire puzzle. I am about to come back again and do the identical factor, simply be one other piece to the puzzle and check out to slot in.”

The reigning NBA assists champion, Younger is averaging 17.8 factors and seven.8 assists this season.