Atlanta Hawks doomed by injury? Kyle Korver lost for playoffs

If the Atlanta Hawks are to mount a comeback in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they will have to do it without sharp-shooting guard Kyle Korver.

On Saturday, Korver was ruled out for the rest of the postseason because of a sprain in his right ankle. He was injured in a collision with Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova while chasing a loose ball in the Hawks’ 94-82 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the series.

The Hawks trail in the series, 2-0. The teams play Sunday and Tuesday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers have lost only once in the playoffs.

“Injuries are such a big part of our league and a big part of the playoffs,” Coach Mike Budenholzer told the Associated Press. “Everybody has to deal with them, and we’re not any different. Of course, we’d like to have everyone healthy and be at full speed. That’s the ideal. But you can’t spend too much time or frustration thinking about it or concerned about it.”

The Hawks are a jump-shooting team. They converted 38% of their three-point shots, second-most in the NBA, during the regular season.

Korver shot 49.2% from three-point range and led the team with an average of 2.9 three-point baskets per game.

“We will miss him,” Budenholzer said. “It’s very, very difficult for him personally but more so for how much this team has done together, how much he’s been a part of that. He’s a huge part of our leadership, our fabric, our fiber.”

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