Hawks Rule Out Multiple Starters Ahead of Final Regular Season Matchup vs. Heat

Atlanta will be shorthanded as they look to clinch the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference

Apr. 12, 2026 at 5:38pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting fragmented, overlapping geometric shapes in shades of orange, red, and blue, representing the action and energy of a basketball game between two teams.With their roster depleted, the Hawks face an uphill battle against the Heat in a game with major playoff implications.Boston Today

The Atlanta Hawks will be without several key starters, including Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, CJ McCollum, and Onyeka Okongwu, as they take on the Miami Heat in the final regular season game of the year. The Hawks need a win to clinch the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but will be severely undermanned against a mostly healthy Miami squad.

Why it matters

This game has major playoff implications for the Hawks, who are fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference. The absences of several starters could make it very difficult for Atlanta to get the win they need to secure the 5th seed, potentially impacting their postseason seeding and first-round matchup.

The details

The Hawks have ruled out Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, CJ McCollum, Onyeka Okongwu, and Jonathan Kuminga for the game. Gabe Vincent has also been ruled out for the Heat, while Mo Gueye is questionable. This leaves the Hawks with a limited roster of Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher, Mo Gueye (if available), Tony Bradley, Keaton Wallace, Christian Koloko, Buddy Hield, and Asa Newell to take on the Heat.

  • The Hawks and Heat are playing their final regular season game on April 12, 2026.

The players

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

A Hawks guard who is coming off a 50-game streak of scoring in double digits, including 23 games with 15+ points. He is having a career-best season, averaging 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.

Jalen Johnson

A Hawks forward who ranks 5th in the NBA in assists per game (7.9), 7th in rebounds per game (10.3), and 18th in points per game (22.5). He is on pace to be the first Hawk in franchise history to finish a season ranked top 20 in all three categories.

Miami Heat

The Hawks' opponent, who have most of their roster available for the final regular season game.

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What’s next

If the Hawks win, they will clinch the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. If they lose, they could still get the 5th seed depending on the outcomes of other games, but would otherwise be the 6th seed.

The takeaway

The Hawks' depleted roster due to multiple key player absences will make it extremely challenging for them to secure the win they need to clinch the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This could have significant implications for their postseason positioning and first-round matchup.