Two potential Eastern Conference playoff teams collide on Wednesday, March 25, at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, as the Atlanta Hawks (40-32) face the Detroit Pistons (52-19).
Detroit will be shorthanded, as Pistons G Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) continues to miss time on the NBA injury report. Despite a 9-1 record over the last 10 games, Atlanta could be in trouble with the potential absence of Hawks F Jalen Johnson (shoulder).
Will Atlanta also feature a thinned rotation? Let’s look at the latest Jalen Johnson injury update and how it impacts NBA picks for PrizePicks.
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Jalen Johnson Injury Update: Is He Playing vs. Pistons?
According to the NBA injury report, Johnson is questionable with an inflamed left shoulder. After appearing in nine consecutive games to begin March, the 2025-26 All-Star missed the last two games due to the injury.
During his two-game absence, the Hawks maintained their success with a 2-0 record while logging 136.0 points per game (PPG) — smashing their season-long mark of 118.3 (seventh). However, the wins came vs. the Grizzlies, who NBA Advanced Stats rank 22nd in net rating, and an injury-riddled Warriors team.
Detroit is a big step up in competition, boasting the league’s second-best net rating while sitting second in defensive rating. Opponents log only 109.5 PPG (third-fewest) and have a 51.8% effective field goal percentage (second-fewest) vs. the Pistons.
Johnson leads the Hawks with 22.7 PPG, 10.4 rebounds per game (RPG), and 8.0 assists per game (APG). According to FantasyLabs, the star forward carries a lofty 27.5% usage rate.
If Johnson is out, who could step up in his absence?
Jalen Johnson Injury Impact: Which Hawks Players to Target?.
When Johnson is off the court, Hawks G Nickeil Alexander-Walker has the fourth-largest increase in usage rate on the team (+3.7%).
In the last two games, Alexander-Walker recorded 21.5 PPG while shooting 60.0% from the field and draining 6-of-12 3-point shots (50.0%).
Detroit features an excellent interior defense that ranks eighth in rim shot distribution allowed, but it's 23rd for defending the 3-point line, via Dunks & Threes. Alexander-Walker leads Atlanta with 8.0 3-point shots per game while shooting an efficient 39.2% from beyond the arc.
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Hawks G Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Pistons Projections, Picks
Check out a few of Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s projections on PrizePicks for the Hawks vs. Pistons on Wednesday.
- 18.5 Points
- 25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- 3.5 Assists
- 32.5 Fantasy Score
Make Hawks vs. Pistons Picks on PrizePicks
If Johnson misses his third consecutive game, Alexander-Walker is a potential pivot for NBA picks on PrizePicks.
You can make your Hawks vs. Pistons picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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