Hawks-Pacers Split: Jalen Johnson’s All-Star Surge

The Hawks and Pacers just traded haymakers in a five day span. Atlanta struck first with a 132-116 win on January 26. Indiana answered tonight, 129-124, in a sharp, high tempo rematch that felt like May ball in January. The split told us more than a box score. It showed how fast both teams can adjust, and it put a bright light on Jalen Johnson’s rise. He dropped 33 and looked every bit like an All-Star in waiting. 🏀

What Changed In The Rematch

Indiana leaned into control. The Pacers met Atlanta’s pace, but they were more selective with it. They tightened transition coverage, closed the lane earlier, and lived with tough jumpers. I saw cleaner second efforts from their wings. Fewer free cuts. Fewer easy runouts.

Atlanta still scored, because that is what the Hawks do. But the Pacers won the possession game late. They limited second chance looks and protected the ball when it mattered. That flipped the final three minutes, which were frantic but orderly for Indiana. The little things decided a big result.

For Atlanta, the rematch brought strong moments and a clear lesson. They created good first shots, yet Indiana’s rotations improved. The Hawks will want quicker decisions from the corners, and more early paint touches to bend the defense. The opportunities were there. The Pacers just took away Plan A often enough to force Plan B.

• Four keys I tracked: defensive glass, early offense timing, corner threes, and live-ball turnovers

Jalen Johnson Is For Real

This was not a flash. Johnson’s 33 came with purpose. He attacked gaps, finished through contact, and knocked down open looks. He cut behind ball watching defenders. He ran the floor hard. He protected possessions with calm footwork. The production matched the poise.

His defense mattered too. Johnson’s length bothered drivers and kickouts. He slid, recovered, and stayed out of cheap fouls. That balance is why his All-Star case is real. He impacts both ends without hijacking the offense. He fits, then explodes when the moment calls.

Johnson has added a gear this season. The handle looks stronger. The reads are quicker. He is seeing the next pass and the next cut. He also embraces contact now, which turns near-misses into and-ones. That shows growth, not just a hot night.

The Styles That Define Hawks and Pacers

These teams score because their systems say so. Atlanta spreads the floor, moves the ball, and attacks the rim early in the clock. Indiana plays fast, pulls bigs away from the basket, and makes you guard space. Two different roads, same destination, pressure on your defense.

When they share the floor, the game becomes a track meet with chess pieces. Each possession is a choice. Do you help off the weak side shooter. Do you duck in to tag the roller. Every late footstep becomes a corner three. Every slow tag becomes a dunk. That is why both meetings soared into the 120s. Talent met tempo, then tempo turned into points.

There is a culture piece here too. Both groups lean into joy, pace, and freedom. Players are encouraged to run, read, and keep the ball hopping. Fans feel it. You can hear it when a hit-ahead pass finds a sprinting wing, or when a stretch big trails into a rhythm three. It is modern basketball, loud and fast.

What It Means Next

This quick split matters. It is a measuring stick for both locker rooms. Atlanta knows its offense travels, and it found a star turn in Johnson. Indiana proved it can bend without breaking against a top tier attack. That is playoff language, even in January.

The next layer is about details. Atlanta needs sharper weak side timing and more paint-to-great threes. Indiana needs to repeat the glass work and keep turnovers low, even when the pace spikes. The tactical growth in a week tells me both staffs are locked in.

The East is tight. Nights like this shape seeding, tiebreakers, and confidence. They also build habits. You cannot fake crunch time poise. You have to live it. These teams just did, twice.

Here is the headline beneath the headline. Jalen Johnson’s leap is real, and it gives Atlanta another path to wins when shots stall. Indiana’s team balance is steady, and it travels. The split felt fair, and it felt like a preview. If we get this in April, clear your calendar.