The Hawks have a tough schedule ahead as they charge toward the NBA All-Star break. But that schedule looks a little tougher with the potential long-term absence of forward Jalen Johnson.
Johnson abruptly exited the Hawks' Thursday night loss to the Raptors with fewer than two minutes played in the second quarter. Johnson shuffled to the rim to block a shot from Raptors forward Scottie Barnes. He swatted Barnes’ layup attempt with his right arm before immediately crumpling and grabbing his left shoulder.
He quickly ran off the court and straight to the tunnel that led to the Hawks locker room. He did not return to the game and the Hawks ruled him out with a left shoulder injury and did not specify what the injury was.
Johnson missed six games, five consecutive, this season with a right shoulder injury. He returned to the team’s lineup in their matchup against the Celtics on Saturday and played the past three games.
The Hawks have not provided an update on Johnson’s injury, as of noon Friday. But should Johnson miss significant time, it would mark a serious blow to a Hawks frontcourt already rattled with injuries.
Hawks forward/center Larry Nance Jr. is undergoing rehab following surgery Jan. 2 to repair a fracture in his hand. Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher has missed several games with a left adductor strain. The Hawks sat center Clint Capela in Thursday’s game after a hard fall in Wednesday’s game left him with right knee soreness.
Johnson’s absence would leave the Hawks, who are 18-18 with Johnson in the rotation, without one of their more versatile players and second-top scorer amid the team’s offensive slump this month. The Hawks have averaged a season-low 113.6 points per game in the 11 games played in January.
Their efficiency also has taken a hit, despite them averaging a season-high field goal attempts this month.
Johnson had been the Hawks' most efficient scorer on 10 or more field-goal attempts per game. Plus, he accounted for a significant portion of the Hawks' playmaking this season with his speed and ability to get them out in transition quickly off opponents' misses.
Through 36 games, Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, 1.6 steals and one block per game.
In the 10 games leading to the All-Star break, six of them come against teams with records above .500. Several of those teams pose a huge threat to the decimated Hawks frontcourt because of the size up and down their lineups.
The Hawks' next 10 opponents include the Timberwolves (14th), Rockets (fourth), Cavaliers (first), Pacers (11th), Pistons (13th), Spurs (21st), Bucks (eighth), Wizards (30th) Magic (17th) and Knicks (6th).
“We need, with Jalen getting hurt, who knows how long he’ll be out,” Hawks guard Trae Young said Thursday. “So, we’re going to need other guys to step up and try to fill what Jalen brings to our team as much as possible.”
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