On Saturday, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, two of their top players remain on the injured list.
Currently, Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Johnson are listed as questionable before the game, per the NBA Injured List. Johnson is battling a sprain on his right ankle, whereas Porzingis is coming off a battle with flu-like symptoms.
The only Hawks player out is Zaccharie Risacher with a right ankle sprain. Atlanta split their first two games of the season and are facing a Thunder team that are off to a 2-0 start.
On Wednesday, Porzingis scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 138-118 loss to the Toronto Raptors. In that same game, Johnson scored 22 points, dished out eight assists, and grabbed seven rebounds as well.
Yesterday, Johnson scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 110-107 win over the Orlando Magic. Porzingis didn't play in that game due to his illness.
Johnson is coming off a preseason spent preparing with LeBron James and is looking to top his performance from last season, when he averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. In March 2024, Johnson was battling an ankle injury. Eventually, Johnson developed a shoulder injury that required surgery. As a result, his 2024-2025 season ended in January.
Meanwhile, Porzingis is beginning his first season with the Hawks after being traded by the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks' new frontcourt dynamic
The addition of Porzingis brings a few assests to the frontcourt. For instance, he and Johnson create space for guys like Tre Young to execute offensively. At the same time, Porzingis and Johnson are not to shabby at shooting the ball themselves with their wide range.
Furthermore, Porzingis can run the pick-and-roll effectively with the likes of Young. Plus, he can be in good position with an explosive player such as Johnson attacks the basket. In other words, Johnson could provide the quick inside to Porzingis for two points.
Then, there is their respective heights. Porzingis standing at 7-foot-2 and Johnson at 6-foot-9 can protect the rim and block shots.
