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Atlanta Hawks: Bogdan Bogdanovic’s knee injury looms ahead of ECF

By Joshua Buckhalter

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 11: Bogdan Bogdanovic #13 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at State Farm Arena on June 11, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 11: Bogdan Bogdanovic #13 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at State Farm Arena on June 11, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has had a rough go of it in the NBA Playoffs. He started off well enough, averaging 14.4 points and showing off some underrated playmaking chops. His three-point shooting was shaky, but so was the entire team’s. Then came the seven-game struggle with the 76ers in what felt like two series in one for the Hawks sniper.

In the regular season, Bogdanovic had a career-year shooting the ball with a career-high 47.3 percent from the floor and 43.8 percent from three-point range.

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He started out just fine against Philly too, but things switched when he began suffering from knee soreness.

Fans may recall Bogdanovic was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture.  Nate McMillan said before Game 7 against the 76ers that it was unrelated.

Through the first three games of the last round, Bogi averaged 19.0 points and was shooting 41.4 percent (36 percent deep). He was reportedly pulled from Game 6 due to the soreness, but his play started dipping in Game 5 when he had just six points.

The Hawks won that game though so no one questioned it.

Over the last three games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Bogdanovic put up just 5.7 points per game on 28.6 percent shooting and .071 percent from downtown.

He’s gotten his hands on a few more passes on the defensive end, but he was never a lockdown defender. At some point, he’ll either need to get healthy or McMillan will have to weigh the benefits of leaving him in the lineup. His play over the past few games suggests there aren’t many.

The problem is the Hawks are thin on options off the bench to turn to.

They’ve already had to move Kevin Huerter into the lineup after losing De’Andre Hunter for the season. And while they have healthy bodies in Cam Reddish and Tony Snell, they haven’t played much (or at all in Reddish’s case) this postseason. McMillan has been leery of using either thus far. Perhaps the risks to Bogi and the Hawks if he keeps playing this way will change his mind.

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We’ll see Bogdanovic if he can suit up. Fans just have to hope he finds a way to be more effective if he can’t return to his form from earlier in the postseason.

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