This season, the Atlanta Hawks front office decided to make Jalen Johnson its franchise star.
With that power comes responsibility, and perhaps no star is under more pressure to perform well than Johnson. While the Hawks have no expectations to win a championship this season, that doesn’t mean Johnson can’t perform well.
A number-one option’s playoff performance can make or break a championship window. If Atlanta wants to get to the top eventually, Johnson has to prove he’s capable of leading the team.
Can Jalen Johnson Rise to the Occasion?
Oftentimes, the difference between a championship run and an early exit is how the star player performs on the biggest stage. Last season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship while averaging 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists throughout the playoff run.
In the NBA Finals, he upped his scoring to 30.3 points per game, including 29 points in the deciding Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers.
The best players rise to the occasion when the lights are brightest, and Johnson has the chance to do the same. This season, Johnson nearly averaged a triple-double against the New York Knicks with marks of 19.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game.
The Hawks are the clear underdog in the series against New York, but that doesn’t mean Johnson can’t play like the rising star he’s becoming.
Atlanta is still building towards a championship window, but this series is an important step.
Dropping the Ball Like Embiid
For some players, their play in the playoffs is indicative of their team’s lack of playoff success.
Joel Embiid has one of the best resumes for a big man in the modern era. Unfortunately, his career has been highlighted by the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers have not made the Eastern Conference Finals during his time in Philadelphia.
Of course, Embiid isn’t the sole reason why the Sixers have failed to make it past the second round. However, his disappearance in big moments hasn’t helped either.
Philadelphia was on the cusp of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019, taking the Toronto Raptors to seven games. In that series, Embiid only averaged 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, well below his normal marks.
His shooting for most of the series was a particular weakness. In Game 3, Embiid scored 33 points while shooting 50% from the field. His best game of the series coincided with a blowout win for the Sixers. For the rest of the series, however, Embiid shot below 40% from the field and scored under 20 points in five games. This includes him shooting 0-for-9 from three during the final three games of the series and 4-for-21 from three overall.
That’s not to say Embiid is always bad in the playoffs, but his play in big moments has been disappointing. He’s only averaged 22.3 points and 10 rebounds per game on 49.3% true shooting in three career Game 7s. Philadelphia is 0-3 in these games — two of which could have sent the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Finals.
First Time for Everything
This upcoming series versus New York doesn’t define how Johnson will play in the playoffs for his entire career. It can, however, serve as an indication of where Atlanta’s ceiling is in the future.
The Hawks have already had a successful season by avoiding the Play-In Tournament. If the Hawks are to pull off a first-round upset, Johnson’s play will have to be up to par to make it happen.
Other players like CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will have to pull their weight as well, but Johnson will have to be the best player in the series for Atlanta to win.
There is a strong correlation between players who rise in the playoffs and their teams finding success. If the Hawks are right that Johnson is their franchise player and hope to be championship contenders in the future, he will have to prove he is built to handle the pressure of the playoffs.
Atlanta has a very bright future, and Johnson is the biggest reason why. If he can carry over his regular-season performances versus the Knicks into the series, the Hawks will have a great chance to win the series.
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