Paul Millsap has been sidelined since March 16, and the four-time All-Star has now been ruled out of the Hawks‘ next three games. According to a team press release, Millsap has been diagnosed with left knee synovitis and underwent a non-surgical procedure at Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center. Millsap, whose status will be “updated as appropriate,” would next be eligible to play on April 2 against the Nets.
Millsap’s injury comes at a time when the Hawks could use him the most, having dropped seven straight in midst of a playoff run. In addition to Millsap, the Hawks are missing Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefolosha due to injury. While Bazemore’s return to action is “trending in the right direction,” point guard Dennis Schroder implored his teammates not to wait around for injured players to return.
“I’m saying now we have to change something,” Schroder said in an Associated Press report. “We can’t wait until they come back. Maybe it’s too late then. The NBA isn’t easy. You’ve got to win games to make it in the playoffs.”
Prior to the injury, Millsap had averaged 19.6 points with seven rebounds over his last eight games.