Even in a matchup with the lowly Wizards, the Hawks are going to be in tough tonight. It’s not just that All-Star Jalen Johnson has been ruled out with a left hip flexor irritation, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker (foot) and Zaccharie Risacher (hip) are also questionable to suit up.
It’s impossible to overstate how important Johnson has been for Atlanta so far in 2025-26. Named to his first All-Star squad in February, Johnson is averaging 23.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists per contest — with all three of those figures currently leading the team. The Hawks have won their past two games and current sit two games below .500 at 29-31. With the Hornets and the Bucks charging hard, Atlanta will need Johnson healthy and producing if it hopes to hang on to a spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In.
As for tonight, expect to see a whole lot of Jonathan Kuminga in Johnson’s absence — and even more Kuminga if Risacher also ends up unavailable. The former lottery pick was traded from Golden State to Atlanta at the deadline, yet Kuminga did not make his Hawks debut until Tuesday night, when Johnson left due to injury and was limited to 5.6 minutes of action. Kuminga wasted no time in leaving an impression, leading Atlanta in points (27) and shooting 9-for-12 from the field. CJ McCollum will also be asked to pick up some offensive slack in a great matchup.
The Hawks are currently 9.5-point favorites on the DraftKings Sportsbook, despite the loss of their best player.
