Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is about to encounter the proverbial measuring stick. The Hawks will enter Game 6 trailing 3-2, with a potential loss marking the end of their 2025-26 season and the early arrival of the offseason.
With all eyes on Atlanta and its season in peril, Johnson must answer the question: Can he do what superstars do and take over in an elimination game?
Whether fair or foul, No. 1 players are held to the standard of showing up when the pressure is most palpable. Those who step up are often revered as the true stars of the NBA, while those who falter endure a summer of criticism and a long path to redemption.
No game epitomizes pressure quite like when a team is attempting to stave off elimination, which is the exact position Atlanta now finds itself in.
The Hawks jumped out to a 2-1 series lead over the New York Knicks, but have since lost consecutive games. To make matters worse, both Game 4 and Game 5 were less than competitive, as the Knicks pulled away fairly early and held on to their lead in both.
With the Hawks desperately needing their franchise player to save their season in Game 6, the time is now for Johnson to prove that he's ready for the moment.
Hawks need Jalen Johnson to play like a superstar in elimination game
Johnson has turned in the best season of his NBA career thus far in 2025-26. He posted career-best averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game, shooting efficiently along the way at a clip of .489/.352/.788.
Johnson was one of just two players to finish the 2025-26 season with averages of at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was the other.
For as impressive as that may be, questions persist in regard to whether or not Johnson can be a true No. 1 scoring option. The 25-year-old offers a bit of everything, but critics are still waiting to see him assert himself more as a scorer on a consistent basis.
If the Hawks are going to win Game 6 and extend their season, then Johnson will likely need to prove he can answer the call and take over as a scorer.
Game 5 offered proof of how solid simply won't be enough to take the Knicks down. Johnson posted a more than respectable 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and two steals on 7-of-15 shooting, but the Hawks simply needed more offense on a night when he was their leading scorer despite failing to crack 20 points.
If Johnson can step up in Game 6 with the type of monster performance he proved capable of during the regular season, however, then his star status will be cemented and the season may yet go on.
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