Jalen Johnson is inevitable.

On the second night of a back-to-back game in which many of his teammates fell victim to late offensive slumps, Johnson posted his fifth straight 20-point performance while shooting 66.7%.

He left too 4 of 6 from distancewhich marked his sixth straight game with multiple three-point shots.

Johnson has shot 50% from distance in his last seven appearances.

However, when asked about Johnson’s pass, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder offered some insight into why the forward is so valuable. Not only does it open up new opportunities for Johnson, it is also the “key” to the Hawks’ offense.

“That’s the key for us,” Snyder told reporters on Nov. 30. “Sometimes it’s easier when you run, and when you run in a row it’s harder.” And then there are plays where hits can seem a little disappointing and then you don’t run. And when I say run, I mean let’s quickly focus on what we’re doing and try to add momentum to our offense.

“JJ is someone who can do that because he can move the ball up. He rebounds well. And when he puts pressure on the defense that early, you usually get, if not a big advantage, an advantage in possession.”

Johnson provided nine assists in the game, including this one for Onyeka Okongwu.

It is the third time he has had at least that many assists and the third time he has had at least 18 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds in a single game this season.

“It’s just about playing basketball, trusting my teammates and just letting everything happen,” Johnson said in an interview with RG.org’s DJ Siddiqi published Nov. 29. “You don’t want to force anything. I don’t believe in that so much. I have coaches and teammates who believe in me doing what I’m capable of, so I’m focused on that.”

Johnson has the best on-off differential on the team, according to Cleaning The Glass, with a mark that is more than 4 points per 100 possessions better than his closest teammate, starting center Clint Capela.

Johnson still points to the trust and confidence of his teammates and coaches.

“It’s just about trusting my teammates, my coaches trust me and at the end of the day it’s just about good ball movement,” Johnson told Siddiqi. “I think this is the result of that.”

Johnson cited consistency as something he focuses on. Snyder has spoken out in Johnson’s defense. The head coach had to be happy what he saw compared to Charlotte and achieving consistency from this point forward would require a reevaluation of the Hawks’ ceiling.

The Hawks have a vision for Johnson and he makes it look smart.

“I mean, if you watch basketball and understand basketball at a high level, you appreciate what I can do,” Johnson told Siddiqi.