Atlanta Hawks DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (ankle) is doubtful ahead of Wednesday's game in Portland. The 2021 No. 20 overall pick has improved significantly from last season, averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 48 games during the 2023-24 campaign. Johnson has missed the last two games because of a sprained right ankle, and although he's not expected to play, the designation at least suggests he's moving in a favorable direction. The Hawks lost Saddiq Bey (knee) for the remainder of the year, so fantasy managers should expect more production from Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter behind Dejounte Murray versus the Trail Blazers if Johnson ultimately gets ruled out.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert will slide into the starting unit for Sunday's contest against Brooklyn. Per Chris Fedor of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland will use its 17th different starting five this season. LeVert replaces Dean Wade (personal) on Sunday. The former Nets player went off for 31 points in his only previous start this season, and he should see plenty of the ball again versus the Nets, with four regulars absent from the lineup.

Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu (toe) has ditched the walking boot and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days. He will miss a ninth consecutive game on Friday versus the Grizzlies, but it looks like Okongwu could be good to go this time next week. Bruno Fernando has stepped into Okongwu's role as the backup center and will have fantasy value for at least three more games. The big man from Angola recorded his second game of the season with double-digit rebounds on Wednesday versus Cleveland and has racked up six blocks over the last three games. His defense will certainly be needed again in Friday's touch matchup against Jaren Jackson Jr.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (ankle) hasn't joined the team for Friday's visit to Memphis. Atlanta's breakout star hurt his right ankle in Wednesday's battle with the Cavaliers. Johnson comes out of the lineup for the first time since Dec. 23. His absence will likely give De'Andre Hunter back his starting job, while Garrison Mathews and Vit Krejci will have a chance to put in extra work off the bench. However, this is not a very good matchup for Atlanta, as the Grizzlies play with a significantly slower pace and boast a top-10 defensive rating despite their poor record.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson was forced to exit Wednesday's win over Cleveland early due to a right ankle injury. He was hurt in the third quarter, leaving the contest after putting up seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and one block in 19 minutes. Saddiq Bey reached the 40-minute mark for only the fifth time this season with Johnson out, while Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando saw extra action off the bench. There were no updates on Johnson postgame. He'll need to shake off the injury by Friday to avoid missing games. De'Andre Hunter will likely step into a starting role if Johnson isn't available versus the Grizzlies on Friday.