Jalen

Johnson

New York’s Josh Hart has been solid defensively against Johnson in the first two games of this series, but the Hawks’ forward shot the ball better than he did in Game 1. After shooting 8-of-19 from the field in Game 1, Johnson made 50 percent of his attempts in Game 2. Add in the rebounds, and this was a solid effort on a night when the Hawks received key contributions from multiple players. It would be unsurprising if Johnson had a big night in Game 3 on Thursday after Atlanta grabbed the momentum with its comeback in Game 2.

Johnson was one of two Hawks to score at least 20 points in Game 1, but his overall impact was muted. Not counting Atlanta’s April 10 win over the Cavaliers in which he played 25 minutes, the All-Star forward went nearly a month since the last time he recorded three assists in a game. Dyson Daniels (4/9/11/3) was Atlanta’s most effective playmaker on Saturday, and they can’t afford for that to be the case if they’re going to win the series. Johnson will look to be more impactful in Game 2 on Monday.

The Hawks aren’t playing any of their starters in Sunday’s regular-season finale. Due to the absences, Zaccharie Risacher and Asa Newell are two forwards who should play plenty against the Heat.

Johnson and McCollum may sit out Sunday’s regular-season finale, as the Hawks can finish no worse than sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, even with a loss. If available, Jonathan Kuminga is one player who may take on a heavier workload on Sunday, which makes him an intriguing option in active fantasy leagues.

Johnson has been a huge reason for Atlanta’s success this year, but this was a subpar performance for him, even if he was able to extend his double-double streak to five games. Johnson has been one of the best players in fantasy basketball this season, but efficiency was an issue in what was only the Hawks’ fourth loss since the All-Star break. Their next two games are against the Cavaliers, and they’ll need Johnson to be better than he was in this game to avoid the play-in tournament.

Double-doubles have become the norm for Johnson, who recorded another on Friday. The Hawks’ star forward logged 28 minutes against the Nets, with Jonathan Kuminga (12/2/1/1/1 with three three-pointers) playing 21 as the backup. With Jock Landale (ankle) out for at least two weeks, this is the setup the Hawks will go with for the foreseeable future. Atlanta won’t play again in Week 23; their next game is scheduled for Monday against the Knicks.

Johnson recorded his third double-double in as many games on Wednesday, finishing two assists shy of a triple-double. When a player is as productive across the board as Johnson was against the Magic, a 0-of-4 night from beyond the arc means little regarding his fantasy value. With the Hawks ending their week in Brooklyn on Friday, fantasy managers will hope to get another complete stat line out of Johnson.

Johnson has recorded a double-double in three of his last four games, with two being of the points/assists variety. The Hawks’ star hit double digits in points and rebounds on Monday and was one of four starters to record at least five assists. The ball was moving well, especially in the third quarter, when the Hawks outscored the Celtics by a 36-22 margin. Johnson will have two more opportunities to put up numbers in Week 23, starting with the Magic on Wednesday.

While Johnson entered Saturday averaging a career-high 1.7 three-pointers per game, that may be the one category where fantasy managers have not looked to him for high-level production. He closed Week 22 in fine form from beyond the arc, shooting 9-of-22 from three in Atlanta’s last two games. Johnson finished Saturday’s victory with his 44th double-double of the season, and he’s scored at least 26 points in each of his last three games.

Johnson once again stuffed the stat sheet, though it wasn’t enough to keep Atlanta’s winning streak alive. However, he was able to match his career high for three-pointers in a game, and he has now hit at least two triples in nine consecutive games. Johnson continues to be one of the premier options in fantasy hoops, and with a favorable matchup against the Kings to wrap up the week on Saturday, he’ll look to be even more productive than he was in this game.