The Atlanta Hawks have seen different iterations of their team come and go this season, but they currently have this group they are used to down the stretch. With a mix of experienced and young players, the Hawks have the right ingredients to make the playoffs, and they are doing so, as evidenced by their current winning streak.
One player who has been a big help for the Hawks since January is CJ McCollum, and he seems to fit in well with what the team is trying to accomplish. Quin Snyder recently made the move to insert him into the starting lineup, as statistics show he is a much better team when he plays with Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.
Players also see the difference McCullum makes when he is on the field.
“From an experience standpoint, we have CJs who are experienced, and the same thing with nickel, Okongwu said. “They're leading us to better basketball, we're having fun out there.”
“C.J. has been great for us,” Daniels said. "That vet presence, a guy who can make things happen. He's a leader for us. A guy we can rely on, a guy who can get a bucket when we need to. It's been really good to have him."
When the Hawks needed a bucket, McCollum was there to make the save many times. This is what he has done throughout his career, and he is helping the Buckeye Hawks as they try to climb the Eastern Conference standings.
Snyder believes the Hawks have found something with McCollum and the other newcomers to the team.
"There was a period of about a week or two where those guys were really trying to figure it out," Snyder said. "The thing that allows teams to come together is to bring yourself to the team and not be able to worry about a lot of numbers. I think those guys have really started to embrace that, and it makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts."
The Hawks are clicking at the right time of the season, and if they take care of business, they could find themselves higher than the ninth seed by the end of the year.
