Heading into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, the two biggest storylines revolved around a pair of franchise players who were not healthy enough to compete. Hawks guard Trae Young was hampered by a bone bruise to his foot and Bucks two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t go after hyperextending his knee near the end of Game 4.
It’s reductive but also true: How each team would respond without their on-court leader up and ready to go would ultimately decide the game. The Bucks aren’t deep. But in a pivotal Game 5 that they won 123-112, it didn’t matter.