Joe Johnson Season Over?

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Hawks All-Star and captain Joe Johnson could be out three to four weeks, and possibly the rest of the season with a deep contusion in his right calf muscle.

Johnson, the team's leading scorer, was kicked in the leg by teammate Esteban Batista early in Monday's loss to Miami and was later kneed in the thigh of the same leg by the Heat's Eddie Jones. He played through both injuries, a total of 46 minutes. It wasn't until he returned to Atlanta that his real troubles began.

A hematoma formed under the calf muscle, and Johnson had to go to the hospital early Tuesday morning. He was still in pain early Wednesday morning and came into the Hawks' training room to get treatment from head athletic trainer Wally Blase.

The real fear for the Hawks is that Johnson could develop compartment syndrome, which occurs when the blood builds up in the pocket between the muscle and the bone, requiring draining. So while Johnson is past the initial hurdle, his injury remains significant.

"We're not worried about anything but Joe getting better," coach Mike Woodson said when asked how long his star might be out. "The only thing he can do for us is take care of himself and get better."

Injury issues have plagued the Hawks since before training camp, when starting point guard Speedy Claxton fractured a finger a week before camp started.

"We've been down this road all season," Woodson said. "We'll have to battle as best we can without Joe just like we did when other guys were out. But there's no question that this hurts in a big way, because Joe is such a big part of what we're about."

Johnson did not sit on the bench during Hawks' game vs. the Wizards Wednesday, and he did not make himself available to reporters.</div>

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