Jalen Johnson flipped the script on Atlanta’s road trip, bullying Memphis inside and out for a career-high 32 and 15 while burying the game-winner with 40 ticks left—signaling the Hawks’ youth movement is officially ahead of schedule.
The Spark: 8-0 Blast Flips a 110-108 Deficit
With 5:39 left, Memphis led 110-108 and FedExForum was rocking. Atlanta answered with an 8-0 burst in 92 seconds—Johnson capped it with two cold-blooded free throws—turning the deficit into a 116-110 lead the Hawks never relinquished. The run came via:
- Johnson foul-line pull-up
- Luke Kennard corner triple (his fourth of the night)
- Onyeka Okongwu put-back dunk plus the harm
- Johnson free throws after a Morant reach-in
Memphis clawed within one on Cedric Coward’s wing three at 1:09, but Johnson’s decisive lefty drive at 0:40 restored the three-point cushion and forced a Ja Morant miss at the horn.
Johnson’s Career Night by the Numbers
Johnson’s 32-15 line is the first 30-15 game by a Hawk since Josh Smith in 2012 and only the third ever by a Hawk under 24. He shot 12-of-19 overall, 2-of-4 from deep, and added three assists, two steals, one block and zero turnovers in 37 minutes.
Even more impressive: 14 of his 15 boards were defensive, fueling Atlanta’s transition attack that out-scored Memphis 22-9 on the break.
Kennard’s Revenge Game Keeps Grizzlies Honest
Luke Kennard spent three seasons in Memphis before the mid-season trade to Atlanta last year. He reminded the Grizzlies what they gave up by drilling his first six shots—4-of-5 from three—for 18 first-half points. Kennard’s flurry pushed Atlanta to a 66-59 halftime edge and extended the Hawks’ NBA-long streak of 10-plus threes to 37 straight games, a mark ESPN notes is the second-longest in league history.
Morant & Grizzlies Left One Shot Short
Ja Morant finished 23-12 but needed 22 shots and missed the final heave that would have stolen the game. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 17, yet picked up his fifth foul midway through the fourth and sat during Atlanta’s game-turning run. Memphis drops to 19-24 and remains outside the play-in picture in the loaded West, per the NBA official standings.
Why This Win Reshapes Atlanta’s Season
The victory snaps a four-game slide and lifts the Hawks to 22-21, planting them firmly in the East’s 7-seed. More importantly, it accelerates the timeline on Johnson as a primary option beside Trae Young. Head coach Quin Snyder has gradually expanded Johnson’s usage to a team-high 27.1 per cent in January; Wednesday’s breakout validates that trust and gives Atlanta a second shot-creator who can punish switches and ignite the break.
Front-office chatter around a consolidation trade quieted this week—this showing is proof the Hawks can win now while still growing their young core.
What’s Next
Atlanta returns home Friday to host Phoenix, where Johnson will see a steady diet of Kevin Durant and Grayson Allen on the wing—another national-TV audition for his star turn. Memphis stays home to face New Orleans, desperate for a win to keep pace in the jumbled West.
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