The Hawks listed Jalen Johnson as likely to prepare for Saturday’s game against Brooklyn, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com. Johnson, a first-time All-Star and All-NBA (Third Team) last season, has missed the last three games with a sprained left ankle.
Atlanta has been lacking in the frontcourt lately. Backup Center Jock Landale will miss his fourth straight game Saturday with a left hip strain, the team announced Friday Asa Newell coming out at least two weeks due to an injury to his left big toe.
Injuries created room for a first-round pick Ejiofor’s teeth and the former St. John’s star has capitalized on his opportunity, averaging 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 62.5% from the field over his last three games (15.7 minutes per contest).
Johnson will probably be back tonight, the head coach Quinn Snyder can move Lugentz is there back to the reserve role. The veteran forward had his best game as a Hawk on Friday with 25 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes in a win over Washington.
Here’s some more injury news from the NBA:
- Pacers acting out TJ McConnell could make his season debut Saturday against Denver. McConnell, who missed the first nine games of the 2026/27 season with a right hamstring strain, is believed to be questionable by the team to play in Mexico City (Link to Twitter). Free agent application Kelly Oubre Jr also in question with a contusion of the left lower leg.
- Mavericks forward/center Saint Aldama made his 2026/27 season debut in Friday’s win over Utah, writes Grant Offset of the Dallas Sports Journal. It was the Spanish giant’s first game since March, when he underwent surgery on his right knee. Dallas acquired Aldama from Memphis this summer in a multi-team trade. “Just genuinely happy to be there” said Aldama, who had eight points and nine rebounds in 13 minutes.It was so good to feel the energy of an NBA game and just be there. But yeah, I’m just trying to make an impact on the game once I get there. I haven’t even trained with guys like Coop (Cooper Flagg), Kai (Kyrie Irving), PJ (Washington). I did some step by step instructions with the second unit but not the first. So, I think the only way we can find some common ground is to play hard, and just thanking them just makes me feel wanted. We don’t have, quote unquote, chemistry because we’ve never been together and it just seemed seamless to me. So it was just an amazing experience.” Head coach Dusty May called Aldama an “elite connector” and praised his clarity, decision-making and versatility, Offset adds.
- The second year Timberwolves center Joan Behringer was forced out of Friday’s win at New Orleans after suffering a broken nose, the team announced (via Twitter). It’s unclear whether Behringer, a 2025 first-round pick, will miss additional time with the injury.
