The Atlanta Hawks will enter their first-round series against the New York Knicks down a pivotal player. Backup center Jock Landale is in the process of recovering from an ankle injury and the Hawks spent the past two weeks hoping he'll return in time for the playoffs.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Landale will miss at least two more weeks due to the high right ankle sprain he sustained on Apr. 1.
Hawks center Jock Landale (high right ankle sprain) will miss at least two weeks against the Knicks in the playoffs. Landale was injured by Magic center Goga Bitadze on April 1. He averaged 10.6 points on 52% from the field and 38% from 3-point range with 5.7 rebounds this season pic.twitter.com/eJFhj7ldKN
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 16, 2026
Losing Landale is a rather devastating blow, as he quickly emerged as a key contributor following a February trade to Atlanta. His offensive rebounding, passing, and even scoring proficiency were all on display during the regular season, thus resulting in the belief that he could be a postseason X-Factor.
With Landale out, however, it will be on Onyeka Okongwu to make the ultimate statement against an All-Star opponent.
Jock Landale to miss at least two more weeks with ankle injury
New York has built a sensational interior with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson occupying the 4 and 5 spots. Robinson is an excellent defensive talent and the most productive offensive rebounder in the NBA, ranking No. 1 in offensive rebounding percentage and offensive rebounds per 36 minutes.
Towns, meanwhile, is a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA honoree who has reached the Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons—once with the Knicks and once with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hawks All-Star Jalen Johnson will likely spend considerable time against Towns and perhaps even Robinson. Okongwu, however, is all but certain to face the tall task of being Towns' primary matchup when the Knicks are on offense.
That's easier said than done considering Towns boasts career averages of 22.8 points, 2.8 offensive rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game on .522/.397/.840 shooting.
Onyeka Okongwu must step up against All-Star big Karl-Anthony Towns
Defensively, Okongwu has thus been put in a position in which he needs to counter Towns' three-level scoring proficiency. That will likely start with stopping the Knicks star from catching fire as a three-point shooter, and will continue with limiting his efficiency as a midrange and low-post scorer.
Okongwu must also make his presence felt on the defensive glass if he hopes to stand chance against Robinson and Towns, who average a combined 7.3 offensive rebounds per game.
On the offensive end of the floor, the Hawks need Okongwu to offer something similar to what Towns manages—even if it manifests in lesser volume. Thankfully, he has the skill set to do so, as evidenced by his season averages of 15.2 points, 1.9 offensive rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.9 three-point field goals made on .480/.376/.757 shooting.
If Okongwu manages to step up against Towns and help the Hawks compete for an upset, he could begin the process of trending toward a future All-Star nod of his own.
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