Throughout NBA history, the best of the best emerge in the most important moments. Players are made and players are broken in the clutch.
This season, Jalen Johnson has begun to cement himself as one of the former category. He's been absolutely killer in the 4th quarter for an Atlanta Hawks team that suddenly finds itself rolling at just the right time.
Johnson currently ranks 9th-best in the NBA in 4th-quarter field goal percentage, with an impressive even 50.0% from the floor in the 4th quarter (minimum of 200 FGA). He trails names such as De'Aaron Fox, Jamal Murray, Victor Wembanyama, and Kevin Durant only marginally, with 1st-ranked Fox averaging only slightly better efficiency in the 4th at 51.9%.
Johnson's clutch success is vital for the Hawks for a looming playoff run
As the Hawks have risen in the standings, so too has the sentiment that they may not be so easily knocked off by a top-3 team in the East. There was a time earlier this season when Atlanta had slipped out of even the play-in tournament, but Johnson has led the effort to put those days well in the rearview mirror.
The recent 11-game win streak of the Atlanta Hawks firmly positioned them back in the conversation for a playoff seed as high as 5th overall. The incumbent Toronto Raptors have tapered off month after month and look seriously vulnerable to losing the coveted 5th spot to any of the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, or Philadelphia 76ers.
As fans know, playoff teams bereft of a clutch scorer are incredibly prone to fizzling out and losing a critical 7-game series in heartbreaking fashion. Players like Tyrese Haliburton offer a stark contrast to this trend. Hali buoyed his underdog Pacers to perhaps the single most miraculous playoff run in NBA history (and arguably sports history), falling just short due to the painful heartbreak of injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
While Jalen Johnson may have a ways to go as a leader to reach the lofty clutch heights that Tyrese Haliburton has headlined, ranking this high in the league (9th) is a stellar starting point for the youngster. Let's hope that if the Hawks find themselves in need of a clutch basket in late April, that JJ can replicate the same success he's demonstrated time and again thus far this year.