Important factors in Sixers-Hawks Game 7: Injuries
Obviously, for the Sixers, Danny Green will not play. His absence has stung, even if the Hawks are well-equipped to exploit his weaknesses. Joel Embiid is also part of this category. He’s playing on a torn meniscus, which means we have no clue of how sore or painful his knee is day-to-day. If his joints decide to flare up in Game 7, the Sixers could have a problem.
On Atlanta’s end, Bogdan Bogdanovic left Friday’s game with “right knee soreness” and did not return. Some would argue he has been Atlanta’s second-best player this season. His lights-out shooting and ancillary playmaking are essential to the Hawks’ offensive dynamism. If he were to miss time, it would rid the Hawks of one of only seven players who played double-digit minutes on Friday.
Bogey is a tremendous talent, and his second-half surge this season played a big part in the Hawks’ turnaround. Atlanta’s 3-point shooting has wavered all series, but on most nights, Bogdanovic is a healthy source of attempts and makes. If he were to miss Game 7 — and he only would if it’s a severe injury — it would mark a massive blow to Atlanta’s rotation.
Here’s to hoping for a full-strength battle (or as close to it as possible) Sunday night.