NBA
Will Jalen Johnson play for the Hawks against the Knicks in the NBA Cup game today, Dec. 11?
Fans are sweating over the fitness of Jalen Johnson ahead of the NBA Cup game against the Knicks.
The Atlanta Hawks have a tough game against the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals (Wednesday 11 December, 7 PM ET). Ahead of the tie, fans of the Hawks were handed a blow when the official injury list was released, with Jalen Johnson still included in the names of those with physical concerns.
On Sunday, the Atlanta Hawks came up short against the Denver Nuggets 111-141 without Johnson, who was sidelined with a shoulder issue, and it appears that he has not made significant progress since then, with the team medical staff hesitant to give him the green light to make an appearance on the court.
It is assumed that Johnson suffered the injury in last week’s overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers, with the club keeping tight-lipped regarding any specific details on the problem.
What is Jalen Johnson’s record so far this season?
Despite the lack of information, it is thought that the injury is not too serious, as his official injury status is listed as ‘questionable’, meaning there is a slight chance, however slim, that he could feature.
Johnson, until now, has averaged 19.8 points per game, with almost 10 rebounds and just over 5 assists across 23 appearances.
In his place, both Larry Nance Jr. and De’Andre Hunter are expected to see more involved roles in the game.
The Hawks' absence list is quite extensive, with a total of 6 players - including Johnson - listed as questionable ahead of the Cup game for various reasons: Barlow, Gueye, Lundy and Wallace are possible omissions due to G League participation, while Bogdanovic (Left quad) is a doubt.
De-Andre Hunter is down as probable with his knee issue under the microscope, and the same goes for Trae Young and his achilles problem. Cody Zeller is not with the team.
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