Will Joel Embiid and Trae Young Play Tonight? Atlanta Hawks vs Philadelphia 76ers Game 4: Prediction, Injuries, & Lineups

When the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Philadelphia Sixers in Game 1, it felt as if they could force an upset on table toppers. However, that feeling soon faded away with two back-to-back losses and that too with heavy margins. 

But that Game 1 victory had not come easy for the Hawks either. In the last five minutes, with them ahead by 17 points, the Sixers had cut the deficit down to 2 points with 10 seconds remaining. It was a personal foul on Danny Green and two FTs by Bogdan Bogdanovic that had saved them from a loss. So what can one expect from Game 4?

Atlanta Hawks vs Sixers: Injury updates and lineup prediction

For the Sixers, the news is heartbreaking because they have lost small forward Danny Green for at least 2-3 weeks. The shooting expert in the former Lakers champion limped his way out from Game 3 after playing for just 4 minutes and adding a rebound. He is facing trouble with his calf and can miss even the conference finals (if Sixers advance).

Probable starting five – Tobias Harris (PF), Matisse Thybulle (SF), Joel Embiid (C), Ben Simmons (PG), and Seth Curry (SG)

For the Hawks, the injury list is longer but none of the names are newer additions. They had point guard Brandon Goodwin out because of a minor respiratory condition. Then, forward Cam Reddish injured his Achilles and skipped practicing with the team. And now, as the biggest blow, De’Andre Hunter is out from the season because he has to undergo a meniscus surgery to fix his knee problem.

Potential starting lineup – John Collins (PF), Solomon Hill (SF), Clint Capela (C), Bogdan Bogdanovic (SG), and Trae Young (PG)

Read more – ‘Our Steph Curry’: George Karl Explains How Hawks Are Building Their Team With Trae Young

Who wins?

The Hawks have lost each of their third quarter in the last three games and have proved less effective in the second half. This is not a new pattern, given they had blown many regular-season games in a similar fashion. Apart from Trae Young, each of their remaining starters has seen a decrement in performance during the postseason. However, Ice Trae, even playing his first-ever playoff, is currently averaging 28.8 points. Apart from him, Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter have also been effective with their offense. 

In the last two games, the Sixers have won the ties with a 16-point difference. In Game 3, the Philly side was much more efficient (47.6%) from the three-point range than the Hawks (26.1%). Much credit for this goes to Seth Curry and Tobias Harris who have both been really impressive. With Joel Embiid putting up All-Star level performances, the Sixers still need to worry about the absence of an experienced hand in Danny Green and the worsening performance of Shake Milton. 

We predict the Hawks can make a Game 4 comeback at the State Farm Arena in a closely fought game.

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