Thabo Sefolosha will return to the starting lineup when the Hawks play the Celtics Monday night.
The small forward missed nine straight games with a left groin injury. He returned to the lineup but came off the bench in games against the Heat on Friday and the Magic on Sunday. Tim Hardaway Jr. started the past 11 games in place of Sefolosha and now will come off the bench.
“Thabo has played a couple of games,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It’s always great to have Thabo and (Kent Bazemore) and start with a little bit of that defensive is identity. Having Tim as someone to add something coming off the bench seems like a good mix for us.
Sefolosha had nine points, on 4 of 9 shooting, in 19 minutes in a lopsided loss to the Magic. He was a team-high plus-seven.
Hardaway has scored in double-figures in a career-high 13 straight games, including the last 11 starts. He had a team-high 15 points, on 6 of 11 shooting, against the Magic.
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