In December2025, only Nikola Jokic was putting up numbers comparable to what Jalen Johnson had been doing for the short-handed Atlanta Hawks. The 23-year-old forward kept that pace on New Year's Eve against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he made it look effortless. He picks Anthony Edwards' pocket on a loose ball, gets out ahead of the defense and rises up for a one-handed tomahawk in transition. He grabs a defensive rebound moments later and immediately hurls a full-court 80-footer to Zaccharie Risacher in stride for the slam. Then, with four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert caught flat-footed in the lane, Johnson dances through a series of hesitation dribbles and pulls up for an easy mid-range jumper over the helpless big man. Johnson shot 15-of-22 from the field and knocked down three triples as Atlanta cruised to a 126-102 victory, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals. · Dec 31, 2025