The Hawks (3-4) visit a 2-5 Pacers team that has lost four straight, but the NBA suspended Kingston Flemings for one game for elbowing Bryce McGowens, per RealGM. Jalen Johnson is questionable with a left ankle sprain, according to Locked On Hawks.
Indiana Is Thin, Not Soft
The Pacers are missing Tyrese Haliburton, Ivica Zubac, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy, and Obi Toppin is uncertain. Locked On Hawks noted Indiana played Sunday against Brooklyn, so it has no rest. Pascal Siakam still averages 21.4 points over seven games, and Atlanta won the first meeting 119-117 on Oct. 10. A hollowed roster is an opening, not a gift.
The Guard Rotation Shrinks
Flemings has played 20.3 minutes a game and handed out 4.7 assists across seven games, so one game without him matters. Locked On Hawks reported that RayJ Dennis is with the club and that Zuby Ejiofor was recalled from the G League. Jock Landale is also out with a hip strain, and Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar remain out. By our count, Atlanta has 31 minutes of rotation time sidelined today.
One Number to Fix
Atlanta shot 8-of-46 from three in New Orleans, Locked On Hawks reported, the worst mark since January 2025. Over seven games the Hawks still carry a plus-1.0 net rating, so the sample says slump, not collapse. Johnson fills the stat sheet at 18.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.9 assists, but he is shooting 25.8 percent from deep. By our count he is about five games from 2,000 career rebounds, a projection at his current pace, and his ankle sets that clock. Washington comes Wednesday, then again Friday, and those two games decide whether Atlanta climbs back to sixth. Can Johnson play through the sprain, and can anyone else create a clean look?
Is Kingston Flemings playing against the Pacers?
No. The NBA suspended him for one game for elbowing Bryce McGowens, so he is out Monday in Indiana.
Is Jalen Johnson playing against the Pacers on Nov. 2?
Locked On Hawks lists him as questionable with a left ankle sprain. His status is not settled.
