The Atlanta Hawks are on a roll.

If this team had any incentive to tank, it would be an issue. That's often a concern for teams in the vicinity of .500. The Hawks don't need to worry about it. They owe their upcoming pick to the San Antonio Spurs:

But the floundering New Orleans Pelicans owe their pick to Atlanta.

So, life is easy on Peach Street. The Hawks are in an opportune position. They've got a potentially high lottery pick incoming, and they're 8-1 since the All-Star break.

What's driving their success?

When comparing the team's pre-and-post All-Star break stats, two areas stand out. Indirectly, they're related.

First, the Hawks' free-throw rate has improved dramatically. Before the break, they were attempting just 21.1 freebies per game — 27th in the NBA. Since the break, they're getting to the line 24.6 times per game, which ranks 13th league-wide.

Second, the Hawks have made strides on the boards. The 42.2 rebounds per game they were grabbing before the break ranked 25th in the league. Since All-Star weekend, they're grabbing 49.3 per contest, which ranks second.

What's changed?

What's the connection between getting to the free-throw line and getting rebounds? It's simple: Physicality.

These Hawks look different. They're fearless. They aren't shooting a different number of threes. They haven't deployed a new defensive scheme. The improvement comes down to sheer physical will.

It's hard to pinpoint a change. It can't be attributed to Jonathan Kuminga, who's played just three games for Atlanta. Perhaps the Hawks are beginning to form a new identity around Jalen Johnson. He's not afraid to throw his weight around.

READ MORE: Nikola Jokić Gives Massive Praise to Jalen Johnson: 'He Is an Interesting Player'

Whatever it is, it's working. The Hawks have been dominant. This is the best this team has looked since Al Horford roamed the halls of what used to be known as Phillips Arena.

What does it mean for this year? What does it mean next year?

For 2025-26, there's nothing left to do but keep winning. Again, there's no incentive to tank, so everything is going according to plan for Atlanta.

Next, they'll see where that Pelicans pick lands. If it's in the top-three, the Hawks should keep the pick. This is a 3-man draft, and any one of AJ Dybansta, Cameron Boozer, or Darryn Peterson would change this franchise's already-exciting trajectory.  

Otherwise, they may want to look at moving the pick. The Hawks are a win-now team, and with a valuable asset at their disposal, they could land some win-now help. That's an option, but it's not imperative.

Even selecting their favorite player left on the board would be a prudent decision.

As long as that player isn't afraid to get physical.