Injury Clouds Hawks vs. Heat Matchup as Young and Herro Prepare to Play

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks (26-30) will host the Miami Heat (26-28) at State Farm Arena on Monday, February 24, at 7:30 PM ET. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries as they prepare for this critical matchup.

Currently, the Hawks have five players on the injury report, including their star guard Trae Young, who is listed as probable with an Achilles injury. In their last game, the Hawks lost 114-108 to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, despite Young leading the scoring with 38 points, three rebounds, and six assists.

The Heat are also not without their challenges, as three players are currently sidelined, including Tyler Herro, who is probable for the game due to a shoulder injury. The Heat come off a thrilling 120-111 overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, where Herro led the team with 28 points, alongside three rebounds and seven assists.

In terms of injuries, the Hawks list Kobe Bufkin (shoulder, out for the season), Jalen Johnson (shoulder, out for the season), Larry Nance Jr. (knee, out), and Vit Krejci (back, out). For the Heat, Dru Smith (Achilles, out for the season) and Kevin Love (personal reasons, out) add to the team’s woes. Herro’s potential return remains a bright spot for Miami.

Here’s a breakdown of the injury status for key players:

Hawks:
Kobe Bufkin, SG – Out for season (Shoulder) – 5.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.7 APG
Trae Young, PG – Probable (Achilles) – 24.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 11.4 APG
Jalen Johnson, SF – Out for season (Shoulder) – 18.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 5.0 APG
Larry Nance Jr., PF – Out (Knee) – 8.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 APG
Vit Krejci, PG – Out (Back) – 6.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG

Heat:
Dru Smith, SG – Out for season (Achilles) – 6.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.6 APG
Kevin Love, PF – Out (Personal) – 5.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.0 APG
Tyler Herro, SG – Probable (Shoulder) – 23.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.5 APG

As both teams contend with player availability, they will look for valuable contributions from their remaining roster. The Hawks will aim to improve their performance following the recent loss, while the Heat will seek to extend their winning streak.