The Atlanta Hawks are heading into a key divisional matchup Tuesday night in Miami, and there’s a notable name trending in the right direction on the injury report: Kristaps Porzingis. After missing several weeks with left Achilles tendinitis, Porzingis has officially been upgraded to questionable - a promising sign for a Hawks team that’s been waiting to see their marquee trade acquisition back on the floor.
Porzingis' absence has been a frustrating one for Atlanta. Before the Achilles issue, he was already sidelined for a stretch due to illness, which means Hawks fans haven’t seen much of their new big man in action. But with the All-Star break looming, his potential return could be a significant boost for a team trying to find consistency.
He’s not the only Hawk on the injury report, though. Onyeka Okongwu will remain out after taking a brutal elbow from Jaylen Brown last week - a hit that’s kept the promising young big out of the rotation and thinned Atlanta’s frontcourt depth even further.
Miami’s dealing with their own injury issues. Tyler Herro has been ruled out due to a rib injury, taking one of the Heat’s top scoring threats off the board.
Nikola Jovic is questionable with a right hip impingement, and All-Star Norman Powell is also listed as questionable due to personal reasons. That’s a lot of firepower potentially missing for a Heat team that’s trying to stay afloat in a tightly packed Eastern Conference.
The Hawks, for their part, are trying to recapture the momentum they had just a few games ago. A four-game winning streak had them trending upward, but back-to-back losses - including a tough one against the struggling Pacers - have brought them back down to earth. The inconsistency has been a theme for Atlanta this season, and with the All-Star break just around the corner, they’ll be looking to steady the ship.
One bright spot? Jalen Johnson.
The versatile forward has been named an All-Star for the first time, a well-earned honor for a player who’s taken a major leap this season. His two-way impact has been one of the few constants for Atlanta, and they’ll need more of that leadership and production as they try to climb the standings.
Tipoff between the Hawks and Heat is set for 7:30 p.m. ET - and with both teams navigating injuries and playoff positioning, expect a scrappy, high-stakes battle in South Beach.