The Atlanta Hawks have been hit with a rash of injuries this season. From De’Andre Hunter to Clint Capela, several rotation players — many starters — could be found in street clothes as quickly as they might be seen in full uniform. Even leader Trae Young— durable despite his slight frame —has gone under the knife, tearing his pinky last week.
On Wednesday night, the Hawks stared down the barrel of yet another setback to their postseason ambitions, as third-year forward Jalen Johnson went down with an ankle injury during their matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ailing Hawks Lose Yet Another Starter to Injury
As he went up to battle for a rebound against center Jarrett Allen and forward Dean Wade, Johnson rolled his ankle, promptly falling to the floor in pain. It was a non-contact injury, which may reduce concern about the severity. Nobody stepped on his foot despite his proximity to Allen and Wade, which could have led to a more severe outcome.
Hawks forward Jalen Johnson suffered a right ankle sprain on this play, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/639cVCM2iK
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) March 7, 2024
Ruled out with a right ankle sprain, Johnson’s night ended a quarter early. The Hawks managed to win a war of attrition in the fourth quarter, pulling out a victory over Cleveland. Nonetheless, amid Johnson’s injury, their triumph rang hollow.
The Impact of Injuries
Atlanta is already missing several players due to injury.
Rookie guard Kobe Bufkin is in a walking boot with a big toe sprain. Fan favorite Onyeka Okongwu is out indefinitely with a sprained toe. Their best player, Young, will be out for at least another three weeks after undergoing finger surgery.
To make matters worse, the Hawks are just 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. Seven games behind the sixth-place Miami Heat, Atlanta would be lucky to avoid the Play-In Tournament. In a single elimination tournament featuring the 7th-10th seeds of each conference, the Hawks are 3-0 all-time in the play-in. Nonetheless, a fringe playoff team for yet another season, Atlanta will hope to avoid playing any more games than they have to.
Especially with their injury luck. Or, to be more accurate, their lack thereof.
With that said, they may not have a choice; the last time Johnson went down, their season spiralled out of control.
Going 7-5 in his first 12 games as a starter, Johnson sustained a wrist fracture that sidelined him for a month. The Hawks went 4-9 until he returned, clearly missing his dynamic skillset. Now, when Johnson starts this season, his absence alone is concerning. Compounded with that of his teammates, it’s downright alarming.
As a resilient group, Atlanta will fight hard with or without its best players. However, scrappiness alone won’t win them enough games. Johnson, 22 years old, is averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.0 stocks (steals + blocks) per game.
