Hawks forward Jalen Johnson finding the right recipe this season

PHILADELPHIA — Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has added another bullet point to his ever-growing resume. In the Hawks’ 142-134 win over the 76ers on Sunday evening, the 23-year-old scored a career-high 41 points.

Johnson’s latest feat comes two days after securing a second triple-double of the season in the Hawks’ win over the Cavaliers on Friday. It also continues to prove his ability to be a difference-maker for the Hawks.

“It’s cool, but at the end of the day, it’s just the type of things I prepare for,” Johnson said. “I put in the work for these type of moments and to be prepared for these type of moments. So I’m just trusting my work, and I have the confidence and trust from my teammates and coaches as well. So when you got that recipe, only good things happen.”

The Hawks forward ended Sunday’s matchup 10-of-21 overall and 4-of-8 on 3-point shots. He passed his previous career-high in points (30) with 1:49 to play in the first overtime period on a wide-open 3, his second of the game, off a drive-and-kick pass from Onyeka Okongwu.

After finding Dyson Daniels for a floater 23 seconds later, Johnson made a pair of free throws after drawing a foul from former teammate Dominick Barlow.

He scored a combined 12 points in the team’s two overtime periods, including a pair of consecutive triples that put the Hawks ahead for good.

“I had no idea till the end of the game,” Daniels said. “But it makes sense. He’s hitting big shot after big shot. So, he’s been unbelievable this year, and he just continues to build his game. And, yeah, he was really good. Those two clutch free throws, two clutch 3’s in the second overtime. So, I mean, he’s been incredible.”

With 2:25 to play in the game, Johnson rotated to the top of the key as Nickeil Alexander-Walker drew a pair of defenders with him. Alexander-Walker swung the ball to him and he stepped into a wide-open jumper. Johnson hit his 41st point exactly one minute after the 76ers left him wide open again and dared him to shoot the 3-pointer.

“It’s just a practice shot,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day, it’s a shot I’ve shot a million times. So, no stressing that.”

Johnson, who turns 24 on Dec. 18, didn’t pay too closely to the stats popping up in the arena. Whenever he approaches a game, he seeks to play worthy of the trust that his teammates place in him. He aims to be the best version of himself, he said.

His teammates and coaches have taken notice.

“I think that’s been the really exciting thing about the things he’s doing is, when he’s made mistakes, he hasn’t let it get to him,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “He’s responded and adjusted that. That’s the sign of a more mature player, when you’re able to make adjustments during the game.

“So I know he’s as happy as anyone about the win because he’s the guy that we’re playing through most of the time late in the game. But when we do that, as I’ve said, it doesn’t necessarily have to. We’re trusting him to make a play. And I think that’s the thing that he’s embracing.”

Over the past 10 games, Johnson has averaged 25.4 points, 11 rebounds and 9.1 assists. He joins a small list of players to post minimum averages of 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists over a 10-plus game span before age 25, according to The Lead. That list includes Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Lakers guard Luka Doncic as well as Johnson.

Last month alone, Johnson helped the Hawks to a West Coast trip sweep for the first time since December 1968. Johnson also helped the Hawks to go 10-5 in November, the first time since March 2022 (11-6) the Hawks have won at least 10 games in a month.

On top of that, the Hawks are off to a 13-8 start through the team’s first 21 games of the season, their most wins within the first 21 games of a season since the 2014-15 campaign (15-6).

But Johnson hasn’t only developed his basketball skills to help the Hawks to one of their more successful starts in years. He’s also learned to trust his voice as a leader, though he acknowledges he’s constantly developing that muscle.