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It has been a wild week for the Atlanta Hawks, and the team returns home on Friday in a shorthanded state. Thabo Sefolosha, who was involved in a bizarre incident in New York that netted both himself and Pero Antic in jail, is out for the season following an ankle injury sustained during the course of his wild stay in the Big Apple, and that is just the beginning of the uncertainty surrounding the roster for Friday night.
Obviously, Sefolosha's absence is of the extended variety and the Hawks must get used to playing without their backup small forward. Somewhat fortunately, Atlanta has been able to play without Sefolosha in the lineup at times due to a long-term calf injury, and we should see a lot of Kent Bazemore and potentially an uptick from Shelvin Mack, John Jenkins and/or Austin Daye.
In addition, Paul Millsap has missed the past two games with a shoulder ailment, and his status is very much up in the air for this game. On one hand, there is no reason to rush Millsap along in his attempt to recover, but in the same breath, the Hawks would certainly love to see their All-Star power forward on the floor in a productive way before the start of the playoffs.
Throw in the continued uncertainty of Pero Antic, who missed Wednesday's game for obvious reasons, and the Atlanta Hawks have a bit of a pickle with regard to the roster on the whole. Still, this is a "meaningless" game in the standings, and while the Hornets are still alive in the race for the final playoff spots in the East, Charlotte is on the very fringe of contention.
The Atlanta Hawks have only two additional home games in the regular season, and prior to this game, the team will raise the banner associated with the 2014-2015 Southeast Division title. That is worth celebrating, and once the banner is lifted, the focus can shift to the future from a personnel standpoint.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, April 10, 7:30 pm ET
Location: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: SportSouth
Radio: 92.9 "The Game" FM