TITLE: McCollum’s Arrival Transforms Hawks, Powers 2-1 Edge on Knicks
SLUG: mccollum-surge-boosts-hawks-playoff-run
CONTENT:
ATLANTA — General manager Onsi Salah says he coveted CJ McCollum for years, but even he did not foresee how quickly the veteran guard would reshape the Hawks’ postseason fortunes.
Speaking to Howard Beck of The Ringer, Salah recalled acquiring McCollum and Corey Kispert from Washington in January in the deal that shipped Trae Young to the Wizards. Atlanta now leads New York 2-1 in the first round, with McCollum averaging 27 points per game and sinking the game-winning jumper in Game 3.
“I knew he was confident and talented,” Salah said. “I just didn’t expect this level of efficiency. He’s basically taken over the series.”
The mid-season swap was initially viewed as a way for Atlanta to offload Young’s contract while it retooled around younger pieces. Instead, McCollum ignited a 27-15 finish; the club posted the league’s seventh-best point differential during that stretch. The new starting five of McCollum, Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu recorded a 21.4 net rating across at least 600 possessions, second-best in the NBA.
Salah pushed back against the notion that the move was merely a salary dump. “We wanted CJ. We wanted Corey. They fit,” he said. “It’s worked out even better than I expected.”
Impact on Kuminga, roster overhaul
McCollum added that forward Jonathan Kuminga, obtained from Golden State in a February trade, has flourished in Atlanta. Kuminga’s regular-season numbers mirrored his production with the Warriors, but his playoff minutes have climbed to 31 per game. “He was in a tough spot before and now he’s found a home here,” McCollum noted after Game 3.
John Hollinger of The Athletic pointed out that the Hawks originally hoped the tandem of Young and Kristaps Porzingis—landed from Boston last summer—would pull them out of play-in territory. The pair logged only three games together, totaling 51 minutes, before both were moved. Their successors have since turned Atlanta into a threatening postseason opponent.
Head coach Quinn Snyder, addressing reporters ahead of Saturday’s Game 4, praised Alexander-Walker as a worthy Most Improved Player recipient. “He’s thrown himself into the work,” Snyder said. “We’re lucky to have him.”
The Hawks and Knicks resume their series Saturday night at State Farm Arena.
Source: Hoops Rumors
