Jalen Johnson credited communication as the driving force behind the Atlanta Hawks' eight-game winning streak, the franchise's longest in five years.
Heading into the second half of the 2025-26 season, many expected teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics to make the most noise, with icons like James Harden and Jayson Tatum set to carry their respective teams deep into the playoffs.
However, the spotlight in the East seems to be completely stolen by the Atlanta Hawks, who have rattled off eight straight wins, their longest such stretch since an eight-game run in March 2021, and now sit just 1½ games behind seventh-place Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings.
This surge has prompted their leader, Jalen Johnson, to openly admit why he is loving the new-look Hawks and to appreciate the way all the players are coming together.
"The communication for us has been huge," Johnson told reporters. "From the locker rooms to practice to halftime, the way we're communicating with each other and everybody's just speaking their mind. I think it's been really big for us. At the end of the day, we're the guys on the court, so for us to have that communication on point and on a string, I think it has been really good."
The streak reached eight games Thursday night in Atlanta, where Johnson posted 21 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, and Zaccharie Risacher added 19 points as the Hawks beat the Brooklyn Nets 108-97. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 18 points, C.J. McCollum totaled 14, and Onyeka Okongwu finished with 13 in a well-distributed effort that has become the norm during this run.
Jonathan Kuminga, who rejoined the lineup after being sidelined for three games with a bone bruise in his left knee, contributed nine rebounds in 19 minutes, adding another dimension to a rotation that coach Quin Snyder has seamlessly integrated at the right time of year.
The Hawks were also without Dyson Daniels, who sat out Thursday with a sprained toe, yet still handled business comfortably against a Brooklyn team that has dropped 12 of their last 14.
Although teams such as the Celtics, Knicks, and Cavaliers may possess more star-studded rosters on paper, the Hawks are rapidly emerging as a formidable postseason opponent. If their current form carries into the playoffs, they could become a matchup many teams would prefer to avoid, particularly because multiple players have shown the ability to take over games when the moment demands it.
With a pivotal home matchup against fifth-seeded Orlando still on the horizon, the Hawks have an opportunity to make a genuine statement in the Eastern Conference playoff race. And, on a closer look at Johnson's admission, it seems safe to say that the Hawks have a stronger sense of camaraderie than most other championship contenders.