The Atlanta Hawks' path to reaching the NBA play-offs has become much more difficult.
The Hawks will be without forward Jalen Johnson and centre Onyeka Okongwu for several weeks, meaning they'll miss next week's Play-In Tournament.
Johnson exited Tuesday's loss to the Miami Heat with a right ankle injury, and the Hawks announced Thursday that an MRI revealed a Grade 2 lateral sprain. He'll be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.
Okongwu, who last played March 21 due to a left big toe sprain, underwent a non-surgical procedure on Tuesday to address inflammation. His recovery time is approximately four weeks.
Atlanta is guaranteed a spot in the Play-In Tournament, and entered play Thursday in 10th place in the Eastern Conference - 1 /2 games behind the Chicago Bulls. The two teams will meet in the Play-In Tournament, with the winner facing the loser of the game between the 7 and 8 seeds for a spot in the play-offs.
Both Johnson and Okongwu have played big parts for the Hawks this season.
Johnson started 52 of the 56 games he played in, averaging career highs of 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds - the second highest on Atlanta behind Clint Capela's average of 10.6 boards.
Okongwu has appeared in 55 games, with averages of 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. In eight starts, he had averages of 16.1 points and 8.5 boards.
One bit of good news for the Hawks is Trae Young returned in Wednesday's 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets after missing 23 games with a torn ligament in his left pinkie.
The three-time All-Star point guard made all five of his field-goal attempts, finishing with 14 points and 11 assists in 21 minutes in his first game since February 23.
'Experience is the best teacher', says Brown as Celtics close on NBA championship
Jaylen Brown said the Boston Celtics had learned from past mistakes after they took another step towards clinching the NBA championship with Wednesday's Game 3 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Brown had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics took a 3-0 lead in the series, holding off a late Dallas push to claim a 106-99 win.
They could now capture a record-breaking 18th NBA crown on Friday, when they are again on the road for Game 4 at American Airlines Center.
The Celtics were beaten NBA finalists against the Golden State Warriors two years ago and have also lost two Eastern Conference finals series in the last five seasons.
Brown thinks experiencing those near misses has made them stronger, saying: "Experience is the best teacher.
"All year long we've been hearing about the Celtics in the past, for the last six to eight months, all we've been hearing is all the different shortcomings we've had in the past.
"This is a new team, you know what I mean? We've learned from those experiences. In these moments, you can see that we learned from it. We stepped up to the plate, and we found a way to win."
None of the previous 156 teams to face a 3-0 deficit have rallied to win an NBA playoff series, in any round.
Dallas gave themselves a chance of making a series of it when a 22-2 spurt pulled them within one point with three minutes and 37 seconds left.
However, a Brown putback was followed by a Derrick White 3-pointer and a Tatum dunk as the Celtics rediscovered their composure to pull clear once more.
Tatum is refusing to take his eye off the ball despite Boston now having four chances to clinch the title, saying: "Last year, when we were down 0-3 in the conference finals, we really felt like we were going to come back.
"We almost did. You know, we were my sprained ankle away from having a real shot, so we are not relaxing or anything like that.
"You know, we're not even focusing on winning or Friday or whatever. However long it takes, that's our motto. That's what it's going to take, and nobody is trying to relax at all."
NBA: Celtics hold off Mavericks for 3-0 lead in NBA Finals
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and Jaylen Brown added 30 as the Boston Celtics fended off the Dallas Mavericks’ furious rally for a 106-99 victory for a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
Brown finished with eight rebounds and eight assists and Derrick White had 16 points as Boston extended its franchise record with a 10th consecutive playoff win and moved to 7-0 on the road this postseason.
The Celtics can wrap up the series and win their 18th title to break a tie with the Lakers for most NBA championships with a victory Friday night in Dallas.
None of the previous 156 teams to face a 3-0 deficit has rallied to win an NBA playoff series.
Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out about two hours before the game because of a rare tendon injury in his lower left leg sustained in Game 2. But the Celtics improved to 10-1 in these playoffs without the 7-foot-2 Latvian.
Kyrie Irving scored 35 points for Dallas and Luka Dončić added 27 before he fouled out with 4:12 remaining.
The Celtics opened a 91-70 lead at the end of a 20-5 run early in the fourth quarter, but the Mavs answered with a 22-2 spurt to pull within 93-92 on Irving’s jumper with 3:37 left.
Brown made a layup and White hit a 3-pointer before Irving sank a pair of free throws. Tatum dunked and Brown drilled a long jumper sandwiched around Dereck Lively II’s dunk to put Boston up 102-98.
PJ Washington and Irving both missed 3s and Tatum’s two free throws with 15 seconds left sealed the win.
Irving’s personal losing streak against the Celtics – his former team – reached 13 games.
Celtics' Porzingis ruled out for Game 3 vs. Mavericks
The Boston Celtics won't have Kristaps Porzingis for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday because of a rare injury to his left leg.
The Celtics announced Tuesday that Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon.
The team described the injury as being rare, and said it is unrelated to a right calf strain that side-lined Porzingis for 10 games earlier in the play-offs.
The injury occurred with 3:27 to play in the third quarter of Sunday's 105-98 win over the Mavericks, which gave Boston a 2-0 lead.
Porzingis helped spark the Celtics in Thursday's 107-89 win in Game 1, tallying 11 points and two blocks in the first quarter in his first game since April 29.
He finished with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and six rebounds before recording 12 points and four boards in Game 2.
Porzingis spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Mavericks from 2019-22, and with this latest injury, still hasn't played a game in Dallas since being traded to the Washington Wizards in February 2022.
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