Trae Young Injury Update: Latest on Hawks superstar's status against Boston Celtics (March 28)

The Atlanta Hawks will be without their superstar Trae Young for the marquee Eastern Conference matchup against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, the fourth and final matchup of their season series.

The Hawks will be playing on the second set of the back-to-back after their 120-106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, which improved their winning streak to three games.

Dejounte Murray led the team in scoring with 30 points, three rebounds and seven assists with two steals and two blocks on 13-of-20 shooting, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, boasting a +13 net rating.

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Trae Young injury update

Trae Young has reportedly made progress in his recovery with his surgically repaired left pinky finger and is working towards his return to the court.

Young underwent his scheduled re-examination on Monday and is set to embark on the next phase of his rehabilitation, as reported by the Hawks. As part of this progression, Young will commence small finger motion exercises this week.

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What happened to Trae Young?

Young sustained a ligament tear in his left pinky finger on Feb. 23 against the Toronto Raptors, undergoing surgery four days later.

It's not clear exactly when the injury happened because Young kept playing despite feeling uncomfortable. He ended the game despite the injury, registering 11 points on 2-of-6 shooting and seven assists.

With 10 games remaining in the season, the Hawks are 22-29 with Young in the lineup and 11-10 without him. The Hawks are 10th in the Eastern Conference, trailing the sixth-placed Pacers by seven games and holding a 5.5-game lead over the 11th-place Brooklyn Nets.

Atlanta appears to have a firm grasp on a spot in the Play-In Tournament, regardless of how they fare in the final three weeks of the regular season. Consequently, the team has little urgency to hasten Young's return to action until he receives medical clearance.

The Hawks would ideally hope to have Young play several games during the final week or two of the regular season to ensure that he's fully prepared and conditioned for the Play-In Tournament. But his return remains uncertain.