Trae Young to miss Hawks-Bulls matchup

CHICAGO — Hawks guard Trae Young will miss Tuesday’s game against the Bulls with a non-COVID illness, the team announced early Tuesday.

Young has averaged nearly 25 points in three games against the Bulls this season. The Hawks enter Tuesday’s game tied with the Raptors for eighth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 39-39. The Bulls are only one game behind in 10th place at 38-40.

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With a win, the Hawks would remain mathematically alive for the sixth spot in the East – although a lot would have to happen for them to secure that spot and avoid the four-team play-in tournament. A loss would likely solidify a spot in the play-in tournament, and their spot in the tourney would be decided over the last three games of the regular season.

The Hawks will host Washington Wednesday and Philadephia Friday before playing their final regular-season game Sunday in Boston.

The Hawks finished the 2021-22 season as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated No. 10 Charlotte at home and No. 8 Cleveland on the road in the play-in tournament to advance to the first round of the conference playoffs, where they lost to Miami four games to one.

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