The Atlanta Hawks have been on a roll this week on their West Coast road trip, and are on a four-game winning streak after defeating the Utah Jazz. One of the reasons for their recent success is the play of Jalen Johnson, who has had to step up in the absence of Trae Young.
Johnson has been the person to control the offense for the Hawks at times, setting up his teammates for easy looks and getting his own when needed. When the Hawks are on a fast break and Johnson has the ball, it's going to be an easy two points. In their game against the Jazz, Johnson had a historic stat line, finishing with 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, and seven steals.
A day after the game, Johnson spoke with ESPN's Malika Andrews about what has been the cause of his offensive surge.
“I think the main thing is I do whatever it takes to win,” Johnson said. “Whatever the game calls for me to do, I take pride in. Whether that's passing, scoring, defending, whatever it may look like. It may look different each night, but the main thing is I just wanna help my team win.”
Jalen Johnson discusses his impact on the court and the key to the Hawks' turnaround with @malika_andrews ✍️ pic.twitter.com/HS6BhrwMVA
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 14, 2025
Before Johnson was injured last season, he was having this same type of impact on the Hawks, and they were a top-six team in the Eastern Conference. With him being back this season and starting where he left off, he could be even more dangerous than he was last season.
The Hawks started the season slowly this year, but they've picked things up and are 8-5.
“We’re taking film session very seriously, and more importantly, we’re translating those film sessions into our next game, and we’re executing our game plans as best we can,” Johnson said. “I think that’s a big thing for us, and we just gotta continue to build off each win and focus on one game at a time.”
If Johnson and the Hawks can continue to play at a high level, there's no telling what they could be before Young gets back. It could also raise Johnson's stock as a potential All-Star this season.



















