McCollum ignited a crucial second-unit surge, spearheading a 15-point comeback and securing the Hawks’ third consecutive victory with a stellar bench performance.
C.J. McCollum did not approach Monday’s matinee looking to manufacture energy. He read the room, read the flow, and responded the only way a veteran scorer knows how — by making plays when the moment called for it.
The result was one of the Atlanta Hawks' most stabilizing performances of the season, as the team pulled away from the Indiana Pacers for a 132-116 win at State Farm Arena, extending their winning streak to three games. While the comeback itself was collective, McCollum’s second-quarter shot-making provided clarity during a stretch when the game felt stuck in neutral.
The unusual early tip, cold weather, and sparse crowd created a different kind of challenge. Rather than forcing offense, McCollum said his focus was simply understanding where the game needed him.
“I see where the game is going from a momentum standpoint,” McCollum said. “Obviously, little dead 1:30 game, right? It’s cold outside. Remind me of my Lehigh days, where not a lot of energy in the building, but just trying to make plays.”
That approach showed late in the second quarter, when Atlanta needed a response after Indiana pushed its lead into double figures. McCollum delivered three consecutive 3-pointers in rapid succession, finishing the sequence with a steal and a pull-up triple in transition that trimmed the deficit and forced a Pacers timeout.
Quin Snyder pointed to that stretch as a tone-shifter — not because of the shots alone, but because of the pace and decisiveness McCollum brought with him.
“CJ., Christian, Mo, and Luke — I thought those guys just pushed the bar up,” Snyder said. “And we maintained it from that point on.”
McCollum finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 9-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Dyson Daniels added 22 points and nine assists, while Christian Koloko delivered a career-high 12 points on a perfect shooting night, anchoring the paint defensively during Atlanta’s second-half surge.
For McCollum, now navigating a bench role for the first time in more than a decade, the adjustment has been less about volume and more about urgency. He said conversations with his older brother, Errick McCollum, helped reinforce that mindset.
“He’s like, ‘You got to really read the game,’” McCollum said. “‘But you got to be extra aggressive. You can’t be easing your way in.’ That was helpful.”
The difference has been tangible. Since McCollum’s debut earlier this month, Atlanta has avoided the sharp scoring drop-offs that plagued the second unit earlier in the season. Over the past eight games, the Hawks’ bench is averaging 42 points per night, ranking among the league’s most productive during that span.
McCollum’s presence has also created cleaner looks for shooters around him. Luke Kennard, for instance, has connected on 63 percent of his 3-point attempts since Jan. 11, benefiting from defensive attention McCollum naturally draws.
Atlanta’s recent momentum has coincided with improved balance rather than reliance on any single stretch. The Hawks now sit one game behind the Bulls for ninth place in the Eastern Conference and within striking distance of the sixth seed with more than a third of the season remaining.
The climb continues Wednesday in Boston, but for McCollum, the formula remains unchanged.
“Just reading the flow of the game,” he said. “And being aggressive when it’s there.”