Hawks Face Injury Woes As Johnson Listed Questionable For Indiana Clash

The Atlanta Hawks play the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, and their injury list just got longer. The team released a health update on Sunday showing Jalen Johnson is questionable due to a left ankle sprain. This news comes right after a rough loss to the New Orleans Pelicans where the Hawks shot a terrible 17.4 percent from three-point range.

Jock Landale will not play at all because of a left hip strain he suffered early in that loss. He was ruled out along with Mouhamed Gueye, who has a left foot fracture, and Henri Veesaar, who is out with a torn right ACL. Per Sports Illustrated, the Hawks have had a clean injury report for most of the season, but this weekend will impact their frontcourt depth.

Frontcourt Depth Takes a Hit

If Johnson cannot go, the Hawks will have to figure out a new plan for the starting lineup. The team does not have a true third center ready to step in if Landale and Johnson both miss time. Second-year forward Asa Newell or rookie Zuby Ejiofor might have to play the center spot. Newell played over 18 minutes in the game against New Orleans and scored 13 points with four rebounds. He shot just one of six from deep but looked decent when thrust into action unexpectedly.

The loss of Johnson would force Lu Dort to move into the starting lineup at power forward, which makes the frontcourt very small. Newell could start instead, but he might struggle with defense while giving the team a bigger body on the glass. Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell states the team faces many decisions if Johnson is unable to play.

Shooting Woes Must End

Atlanta needs to shoot much better than they did on Saturday night to have a chance. The Hawks missed 38 of their 46 three-point attempts, according to ESPN. After dropping behind in the opening quarter versus the Pelicans, they did not trail by less than 10 points. The team lost a 35-18 lead in the opening period and could not catch up.

The Pelicans built a 17-point lead in the first quarter and held a 20-point advantage in the third. The Pelicans turned eight Hawks turnovers into 16 points during that first quarter.

Indiana’s Own Injury Issues

The Pacers are not healthy either, which could help the Hawks if they can stay on the floor. Indiana is down star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, a loss that will make a big difference in the game.