The Hawks are the hottest team in the NBA, winners of 10 in a row after an impressive 124–112 victory over the Magic at home on Monday.
Atlanta’s winning streak hasn’t resulted in a huge rise up the Eastern Conference standings, currently tied with the 76ers for the No. 8 seed, but the Hawks are turning into a team no opponent wants to see in the playoffs. The heater began on Feb. 22 with a win over the Nets, just weeks removed from the NBA’s trade deadline and a month after the franchise dealt its longtime star point guard Trae Young to the Wizards.
It was time to move on. Young’s season was hampered by injuries and Atlanta struggled while he was on the floor as the team went just 2–8 in his appearances this year. Fifth-year wing Jalen Johnson has improved each season of his career as he quickly developed into the type of player to build a franchise around. Johnson's rise resulted in his first All-Star appearance this year and now the Hawks have their sights set on making noise in the postseason.
The 10-game winning streak hasn't been against the most formidable opponents to put it lightly. Prior to Monday night's win over Orlando, the Hawks beat the Nets and Wizards twice, plus wins over the Bucks, 76ers, Mavericks and Trail Blazers. Still, it's the franchise's longest winning streak in a decade and the win over the Magic, who are currently tied for fifth in the East, felt like a statement.
Under the hood, Atlanta has been the NBA's best team statistically since the wins began to pile up toward the end of February.
What sparked this incredible heater for the Hawks?
The Hawks have been great on both ends of the floor as of late. Atlanta's defense stands out, but its offense is also at the top of the NBA. Most importantly, the Hawks have taken care of the ball, posting one of the best assist to turnover ratios across the league since the winning streak commenced.
If you zoom out to the full season, Atlanta's defense is a bit better than its offense, posting a 113.1 defensive rating (12th in the NBA) compared to a 114.2 offensive rating (16th in the NBA). That jives with how the organization positioned itself over the offseason with standout offseason acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker who has shined as of late.
Here’s a look at how the Hawks have ranked as a unit across the NBA in key stats since Feb. 22 when the win streak began:
| Stat | Hawks’ mark | Rank amongst all NBA teams |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive rating | 120.6 | 2nd |
| Defensive rating | 103.1 | 1st |
| Net rating | 17.5 | 1st |
| Assist to turnover ratio | 2.21 | 2nd |
| Points per game | 122.9 | 1st |
| Rebounds per game | 49.9 | 1st |
| Assists per game | 30.5 | 2nd |
The key players to the Hawks' success
Johnson is the standout name for the Hawks, continuing his incredible season with a 24-point, 15-rebound, 13-assist triple-double in the win over Orlando. It was Alexander-Walker's night, though, with a career-high 41-point performance where he drained nine three-pointers. Alexander-Walker has had an incredible start to March, averaging 21.5 points per game while shooting a whopping 44.4% from deep over the month.
Atlanta's lineup of Johnson, Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum is a nightmare for opponents defensively. Since the All-Star break, the lineup has a defensive rating of 94.2 and an incredible net rating of 31.5. In that stretch, the Hawks are 11–1 with their sole loss coming to the Heat on Feb. 20.
Daniels has 1.9 steals per game, a top-five mark across the NBA, after he led the league with an enormous mark of 3.0 steals per game last season. Okongwu is an elite rim protector and he's been able to fluorish in an increased role this year, eclipsing 30 minutes per game for the first time in his career.
McCollum came to Atlanta in the Young trade along with Corey Kispert. The veteran guard remains a true scorer, averaging 18.6 points a game since his arrival. Kispert provides shooting off the bench, while the front office's gamble on disgruntled Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has paid off early. He hasn't always been available, but he's looked good while on the floor in a Hawks uniform.
Can Atlanta's hot stretch continue?
Atlanta has some tough tests on the immediate horizon. The Hawks will play the Rockets, Warriors, Pistons, Celtics (twice) and Magic over the next two weeks. It's a chance to further prove themselves over the grueling NBA schedule with some considerable playoff implications on the line.
As things stand, the Hawks are tied with the 76ers for the No. 8 seed in the East. They are just one game back of the Heat at No. 7, although Miami has impressed as of recent. Atlanta is in striking distance to escape the play-in tournament, just 1 1/2 games back of both the Raptors and Magic. The franchise could climb as high as fifth in no time should the impressive play continue.
The Hawks are officially on the radar as their win streak hit double digits on Monday. We'll see how far the new-look franchise can go from here.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inside the Numbers of the Hawks’ Incredible Turnaround After Trae Young’s Exit.
