De'Andre Hunter done for playoffs with torn meniscus

De'Andre Hunter will miss the remainder of the postseason due to a meniscus tear in his right knee. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Hawks' De'Andre Hunter done for playoffs with torn lateral meniscus

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 6/9/21

If the Atlanta Hawks are to continue a magical postseason run, they'll have to do it without the services of forward De'Andre Hunter.

The Hawks confirmed Wednesday that Hunter will miss the remainder of the playoffs because of a small tear of the lateral meniscus in his right knee:

An @emoryhealthcare injury update (1/3):

Prior to Game 1, De’Andre Hunter began experiencing some mild swelling in his right knee. Head Team Physician Dr. Kenneth Mautner and Head Orthopaedist Dr. Kyle Hammond examined Hunter and suggested an MRI. pic.twitter.com/CzLF9XKI5b
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 9, 2021

An @emoryhealthcare injury update (2/3):

The initial review revealed a new small tear of the lateral meniscus. Films from the MRI were sent to Dr. ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in LA for a second opinion, who earlier today confirmed the tear & recommended surgery. pic.twitter.com/0bnezO8yLi
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 9, 2021

An @emoryhealthcare injury update (3/3):

Hunter is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles this weekend and undergo surgery to the lateral meniscus on Tuesday with Dr. ElAttrache. He will miss the remainder of the postseason and future updates will be provided as appropriate. pic.twitter.com/ktUBs6niaI
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 9, 2021

It's a brutal end to the season for Hunter, as he worked to recover from multiple knee-related issues throughout the first half of 2021. Per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), the 23-year-old missed 23 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on Feb. 8 and then returned for only a pair of contests before he experienced another setback.

Hunter made it back to the rotation for the completion of the regular season and the first-round series win over the New York Knicks but missed the first two games of the second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists during the regular season.

Game 3 between the Hawks and Sixers is set for Friday night in Atlanta. That series is tied 1-1.

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