Atlanta Hawks Make Major Decision on Trae Young vs Sixers

Every game for the Philadelphia 76ers is important at this stage of the season. Heading into their Monday night matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers weren’t sure if they would be facing the star guard Trae Young.

Leading up to the matchup, the Hawks listed Young as questionable due to a left quad contusion. Atlanta officially ruled out Young for the evening, taking some more star power out of the matchup.

For Young, it’s his first absence since the Hawks’ January 27 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Sixers claim to be on a quest for the final Play-In seed in the Eastern Conference. After a win against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, the Sixers jumped the Brooklyn Nets in the standings. However, they still trail the Chicago Bulls for a Play-In invite.

The Hawks certainly miss a key player with Young out of the mix. Not only is he the top scorer for Atlanta, but he’s currently leading the NBA in assists per game. The veteran is posting averages of 24 points and 12 assists in 60 games. In just four games without Young this year, the Hawks have a 2-2 record.

For those in favor of the Sixers taking the tanking route, the absence of Young could be a bad sign on Monday. Currently, the Sixers are not the owners of their first-round pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. If the season ended on Monday, and the lottery played out exactly as the standings show, the Oklahoma City Thunder would land Philadelphia’s top ten selection.

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