Millsap to miss fourth straight game with knee tightness

Hawks’ Paul Millsap and Warriors’ Patrick McCaw go after a loose ball during the second half in a NBA basketball game on Monday, March 6, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Hawks’ Paul Millsap and Warriors’ Patrick McCaw go after a loose ball during the second half in a NBA basketball game on Monday, March 6, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Paul Millsap will miss a fourth straight game as the Hawks starting forward will not join the team in Milwaukee for Friday’s game against the Bucks.

Millsap missed the previous three games, including the two games of the Hawks’ current road trip, due to left knee tightness. The Hawks recently announced that Millsap would miss at least the first two games of the trip at the Hornets and Wizards.

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the Hawks’ 104-100 loss to the Wizards Wednesday a decision would be made Thursday morning on Millsap’s status. Budenholzer said recently he considered the injury “short-term.”

The Hawks are 0-6 without Millsap this season. The four-time All-Star leads the team in scoring and his second in rebound, assists and steals.

The Hawks will also be without starting guard Kent Bazemore, who is sideline with a right knee bone bruise.

“Learning to play without Paul is going to be important for us,” Budenholzer said after the loss to the Wizards. “He’s not going to be able to play all 48 minutes. Can we get more efficient? Can we get better defensively? Can we get better offensively? Maybe not be as dependent upon him. There was some progress tonight. Until he comes back, we are going to have to make more progress.”

The Hawks host the Nets on Sunday.