CJ McCollum erupted for 30 points, and Jalen Johnson recorded a triple-double, as the Atlanta Hawks improved their winning streak to nine games on Saturday afternoon.
The Atlanta Hawks can not stop winning. With their 122-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon, Atlanta has now won nine consecutive games and is now 36-31. The surging Hawks have their eyes on escaping the play-in tournament, and have done everything in their power to do so in the last three weeks.
"I think we've been defending at a really high level — that's the biggest thing," McCollum said. "We have a lot of talent, a lot of shooting, a lot of speed, and a good balance, but defensively we've been locked in. We've had a lot of energy lately, and I think that's been a huge difference for us."
The nine-game winning streak is the Hawks' longest such streak since Atlanta won a franchise-best 19 straight NBA games in 2014.
CJ McCollum erupted for 30 points in the victory on Saturday, and Jalen Johnson and Nickeil-Alexander Walker both added 20+ points. McCollum, Johnson, and Alexander-Walker combined for 12 three-pointers, and Johnson posted a triple-double by adding 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
Jonathan Kuminga was ruled out yesterday, but the main theme here is that if Atlanta has Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker healthy and scoring, that's all that is needed, as the two have just picked apart all the bottom-feeder NBA teams during the winning streak.
"We've just got to continue to stay poised and keep working together," Johnson said. "We've got Orlando next, and they're on a hot streak too. So we've just got to come in with the same mindset — be aggressive, trust each other — and everything will take care of itself."
Atlanta has defeated: The Brooklyn Nets (x2), Milwaukee Bucks (x2), Washington Wizards (x2), Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, and Philadelphia 76ers. Up next for the Hawks: A huge potential swing game against the Orlando Magic on Monday.
The rebounding has been a major factor in the surge as well, with Atlanta's rebounding rate jumping from 42% before the All-Star break to 55% since then, the second-best in the NBA. A big reason for that has been Onyeka Okongwu.
"There's no one player crashing — it's multiple guys," Snyder said. "There's no one player rebounding — it's multiple guys being physical and getting bodies on people. Onyeka, maybe as much as anybody, gives up a lot. JJ should take him to dinner because he's keeping his guy off the glass."
Johnson echoed that sentiment.
"He's a huge part of what we do," Johnson said of Okongwu. "A lot of what he does goes unnoticed, but everybody in the locker room understands how important he is for our team. He continues to elevate and grow his game. He's never satisfied with where he's at, and he keeps putting in the work — and the results are showing."
McCollum's insertion into the starting lineup has also been a catalyst, something Snyder credited on both ends of the floor.
"CJ may have had his most efficient game tonight," Snyder said. "Some of it for him is leading by example — rising up and shooting a three in transition, or in pick-and-roll situations when he's open. Then there are other times where he's willing to get off the ball. That makes his voice even stronger and more credible when we're talking about playing with the pass."