Jalen Johnson makes strong return with 30 points for Hawks in win over Nets after missing 3 games

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks managed to win each of the three games Jalen Johnson missed with a left ankle sprain. Even so, it didn't take long for Johnson to provide reminders how important he is to the Hawks' hopes of continuing that momentum. kAmy@9?D@? D4@C65 b_ A@:?ED H9:=6 A=2J:?8 bd >:?FE6D :? pE=2?E2VD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?6ED\92H0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6Qm`ac\`a` 4@>6\7C@>\369:?5 H:?k^2m @G6C E96 qC@@<=J? }6ED @? $2EFC52J ?:89E 7@C E96 w2H2<:?8 `` @7 `f D9@ED 7C@> E96 7:6=5]k^Am kAmy@9?D@? :>>65:2E6=J EFC?65 9:D 7@4FD E@ |@?52JVD G:D:E 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^=F<2\5@?4:4\=2<6CD\2_`2f3dfg`f`_e6_cf7ae35c2af24366nFE>0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6Qm{F<2 s@?4:4k^2m 2?5 E96 {@D p?86=6D {2<6CD]k^Am kAm“x 766= 8@@5[” y@9?D@? D2:5] “x H2D C625J E@ A=2J D@ xV== 86E EC62E>6?E E@>@CC@H 2?5 86E C625J 7@C |@?52J]”k^Am kAmw2H>65:2E6=J ?@E:465 y@9?D@? “H2D C62==J CF??:?8” 7C@> E96 DE2CE 282:?DE E96 }6ED[ :?4=F5:?8 H96? 96 5:5?VE 92G6 E96 32==]k^Am kAm“w6 H2D C62==J 24E:G6 H:E9@FE E96 32==[” $?J56C D2:5] “(96? J@F 42? =62C? E@ A=2J H:E9@FE E96 32==[ :E E2<6D J@FC 82>6 E@ 2?@E96C =6G6=]”k^Am kAm%96 w2H6D y@9?D@? >:DD65 H2D 6DA64:2==J 6?4@FC28:?8] w6 6?E6C65 E96 D62D@? 2D E96 E62>VD 8@\E@ D4@C6C 7@==@H:?8 2 a_ad\ae D62D@? H96? E96 H2D 2 7:CDE\E:>6 }qp p==\$E2C 27E6C 2G6C28:?8 aa]d A@:?ED[ `_]b C63@F?5D 2?5 f]h 2DD:DED A6C 82>6]k^Am kAm%96C6 H2D 2? 25;FDE>6?E 7@C E96 w2H:?FE6D C6>2:?:?8 :? E96 82>6]k^Am kAm}:4<6:= p=6I2?56C\(2=<6C D2?< EH@ 7C66 E9C@HD H:E9 `iae C6>2:?:?8 E@ AFE pE=2?E2 29625 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6]k^Am kAm“~3G:@FD=J H96? E96J 8@E @FE E@ E92E 62C=J =625[ x E9:?< H6 2EE6C65 >@DE 2?5 E92E H2D E96 7@FCE9 BF2CE6C]”k^Am kAm%96 w2H^2CE:4=6^H:K2C5D\92H0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6Qm`bh\`ba H:?k^2m @G6C (2D9:?8E@? @? uC:52J ?:89E]k^Am kAm“xV> 8=25 H6VG6 H@? 2 4@FA=6 :? 2 C@H[” $?J56C D2:5] “qFE 2=D@ :EVD 62C=J :? E96 J62C 2?5 H6 ;FDE H2?E E@ <66A 86EE:?8 36EE6C]”k^Am kAmp AC@5F4E:G6 2?5 4@?7:56?E y@9?D@? >256 E96 w2H6 96 925[ C62==J 62C=J E@@[ 96 H2D E2<:?8 D9@ED[” $?J56C D2:5] “x E9:?< E92E :EVD C62==J :>A@CE2?E 7@C 9:> E@ 42E49 2?5 D9@@E >2<6 E9@D6 C625D 367@C6 96 86ED E96 32==[ 2?5 E92E’D H92E 96 5:5]”k^Am k9C ^m kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm$66 p!’D 7F== }qp 4@G6C286 96C6k^2mk^Am