Brett Davis-Imagn Images

NBA Makes Jalen Johnson Announcement During Hawks Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Dec 5, 2025 9:32 PM ET

The Atlanta Hawks entered Friday looking to get back to the win column and prevent a three-game losing skid. That's going to be easier said than done, considering Atlanta is facing Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets at State Farm Arena.

But forward Jalen Johnson immediately sent a big message to the Nuggets with a stellar performance in the first half of the contest. By halftime, the former Duke Blue Devils star already had a triple-double, having scored 11 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 12 assists in the first two periods alone.

Such a performance over a short span is historically rare, as acknowledged by the NBA.

"HISTORIC FIRST HALF FOR JALEN JOHNSON! " the NBA shared via a post on X.

"He's now the 5th player in the PxP era (1997-98) to record a first-half triple-double," the NBA added.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) passes around Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) and forward Spencer Jones (21) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The 23-year-old Johnson has been among those who have truly stepped up for the Hawks amid the absence of star point guard Trae Young because of a knee injury.

He started the day with career-high averages of 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per game, with Atlanta needing more scoring and playmaking from him in order to keep its head above water while Young recovers.

Entering Friday, the Hawks were on the outside looking in of the top six in the Eastern Conference standings with a 13-10 record.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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