Author: Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY

With a strong group effort from start to finish, the Bucks overcame their star’s absence to handle the Hawks and move one win from the NBA Finals.

Trae Young sustained a bone bruise on his right foot in Game 3 and missed Atlanta’s Game 4 victory over the Bucks on Tuesday.

The Bucks improved their roster with the addition of Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker. And those two, along with Khris Middleton, will have to step up.

The Bucks’ path to the NBA Finals appeared to open up, but Giannis Antetokounmpo’s knee injury now threatens to derail things.

Playing without Trae Young, the Hawks pulled away to win Game 4 and even the Eastern Conference finals after Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his knee.

What started as the Blazers addressing questions head-on surrounding Chauncey Billups’ hiring turned into a public-relations problem.

In the Game 3 win vs. the Hawks, Khris Middleton became the only Bucks player in the past 25 postseasons to score at least 20 fourth-quarter points.

Trae Young and the Hawks will make adjustments, but the Bucks may have found some long-term answers to slowing Young during their Game 2 rout.

Chauncey Billups, currently a Clippers assistant, is nearing a deal for his first head coaching job with the Blazers.

The Bucks had things clicking on offense and tightened the defense to force the Hawks into a miserable performance in a 125-91 rout.