"Hawks coach Larry Drew suspects Joe Johnson's left hand is hurting more than he's willing to admit.

But Drew said he's not inclined to rest his All-Star guard.

"I will consider it, but a high probability of giving him time off? No," Drew said. "We will probably just try to rest him days that we are not playing, especially when we have a couple days in between. Let him get it treated and keep him out.

"With those type injuries they always start to feel good, and then you get it banged again and it becomes a lingering thing through the season."

Johnson got hit in the hand during a preseason game and said he aggravates it with contact in each game. He wore a protective glove for two games and said the hand wasn't as sore after those games, but he took it off for Tuesday's game at the Nets.

Johnson is off to a slow start this season after signing a six-year, $124 million contract over the summer. Entering Tuesday's game, he was shooting 42 percent from the field, including 26 percent on 3-pointers.

Johnson downplayed the hand injury and said it doesn't affect his shot."