For the Atlanta Hawks, their standard hasn't wavered much so far this season. Through 55 games, the Hawks are right where they were last season: 9th in the East, competing with the Miami Heat for their elusive Play-In spot.
However, their ability to remain afloat this season has differed compared to past seasons. Last year, Trae Young led the offense while a rotating cast of characters filled the rest of the lineup. Now, with half of that roster gone, we see that the Hawks' stability has come more from their defensive perseverance this season.
Looking a little deeper, though, the Hawks don't necessarily appear to be a defensive powerhouse by the numbers. As a team, they rank 25th in rebounding and points allowed per game, and 17th in overall defensive rating, so how would their stability come from their defense?
The Hawks' stability on the glass has almost solely been on the shoulders of their newest star, Jalen Johnson. Johnson, whose praise has mainly been attributed to his offensive prowess, has actually made a greater impact on defense for this Hawks team when we dive deeper.
With one more game before the All-Star Break, Jalen Johnson ranks first amongst forwards in total rebounds, averaging 10.6 rebounds per game.
In fact, Jalen Johnson's 519 total rebounds so far this season are 79 more than the second-place Scottie Barnes, who has only reached 447 rebounds with four more games played than Johnson!
JJ's impact has gone beyond record
It should come as no surprise to see where the Hawks currently rank in the East; it's been something that Hawks fans have become all too familiar with over the last half-decade. While this season hasn't shown a positive trend, at the very least, Jalen Johnson has prevented it from being a step backward.
With all the turnover and drama surrounding the Hawks this season, it should be noted that they are still in the running for a playoff spot, even if it is worse than where people expected them to be.
What people weren't expecting from the Hawks this season was the turnover. While there were rumors that Trae Young's time in Atlanta may be coming to an end, there were also plenty of things that hinted toward Trae Young potentially signing an extension.
Additionally, no one expected the Hawks to move off of Kristaps Porzingis so quickly, either. After only 17 games played for the Hawks, he was shipped to the Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
With all the pieces constantly being moved around, contention for the Hawks this season was an afterthought, yet somehow they've managed to stay in the playoff hunt, almost solely because of the slack Jalen Johnson has picked up on both ends of the court.
So, while a lot of people would be quick to sim to the next season for the Atlanta Hawks, they have big things that they can prove with their last 16 games after the All-Star Break. Making it out of the Play-In Tournament would be one thing, but for Jalen Johnson, his impact could continue to reach new heights if he can keep this historic pace going through a potential playoff run.