Jalen

Johnson

Johnson suffered a hip injury in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game against the Wizards and will not play in the rematch. It makes sense since the Hawks should be able to beat the Wizards without Johnson. His absence should mean extra minutes and usage for Jonathan Kuminga, who looked great in his Hawks debut on Tuesday.

Johnson suffered a left hip flexor injury during Tuesday’s win over the Wizards, exiting after playing six minutes. Jonathan Kuminga picked up additional minutes in his first appearance as a Hawk and was outstanding, scoring 27 points. Zaccharie Risacher and Mouhamed Gueye would also pick up minutes if Johnson sits, but Kuminga offers the highest fantasy upside.

Johnson only played six minutes before his exit, which will open up plenty of minutes for the reserves. Jonathan Kuminga, who is making his debut for the team, should see a nice bump in minutes, while Zaccharie Risacher and Mouhamed Gueye could play larger roles as well.

The Hawks trailed 104-97 with five minutes left in regulation before leading a furious comeback to win 115-104. Down the stretch, Johnson either scored or had an assist on all but two of the Hawks’ last 18 points. The 24-year-old small forward has provided 15th-overall per game value this season. The Hawks have three games upcoming in Week 18, starting with a matchup against the Wizards on Tuesday.

While Johnson finished Friday’s defeat with his 11th triple-double of the season, the efficiency was lacking. He kept the turnovers in check, but the 6-of-22 night from the field was one of the worst this season for the Hawks’ All-Star forward. The good news for Johnson managers is that Atlanta has another game to play in Week 17, at home against the struggling Nets on Sunday.

Johnson continues to absolutely carry the Hawks and fantasy teams alike. Over his last six games, the 24-year-old small forward is averaging 27.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 2.2 steals. Johnson is once again filling up stat sheets with his varied skillset. He’s provided 14th-overall per game value this season, according to Basketball Monster. The Hawks face the Heat on Friday on the second night of a back-to-back.

Johnson did a bit of everything in his return to the lineup after missing Monday’s game with a knee issue. He fell one assist shy of a triple-double, but he was still able to fill up the box score. Over his last five games, Johnson has averaged 26.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 triples per game. His breakout season has resulted in his first All-Star appearance, and he’ll look to stay hot after the break.

Johnson is good to go after sitting out Monday’s loss to the Timberwolves. His return will push Asa Newell back to the bench and potentially out of the rotation entirely. Newell should be rostered in dynasty leagues, but that’s it.

Johnson did not play in Monday’s loss to the Timberwolves, with rookie Asa Newell replacing him in the starting lineup. Newell played 25 minutes, finishing with four points and four rebounds. If Johnson remains out, there would not be much to gain from streaming Newell in redraft leagues.

Johnson was a late addition to the injury report, and now he will be unavailable for this game against Minnesota. He has been on a tear over his last four games, and Atlanta will have plenty of available usage and minutes. Mouhamed Gueye and Asa Newell should both play larger roles with Johnson sidelined.