CJ McCollum, a safe bet for the end of the Hawks games
Last night, for it’s easy to get rid of wizardsQuin Snyder tied Jonathan Cumminga, Dyson Daniels, Onyeko Okongwu and Zachary Rizacher in his top five. And to accompany this set of players who are mostly unaccustomed to big events, the veteran, CJ McCollum.
The latter, against his former team, shined with his 25 points (9/19 shooting) in a 30-point victory in just his fifth start since being traded to Atlanta, against Tree Young. Occasional starter status that doesn’t stop him from still averaging nearly 19 points.
If his presence caused a positive shock in the team from Atlanta, his contribution is undoubtedly in the lineups of the Hawks at the end of the match. Even against the Wizards, the Hawks were able to win without having to call on his “time on the money” experience.
« We don’t give him the same time as we did in Portland. The fact that he is in a good mood at the end of the match stabilizes us enormously. Jaylen (Johnson) obviously plays well in those situations, but CJ’s experience and ability to create shots for himself or others is something our team needs », Judge Quinn Snyder.
In his prime with the Blazers, the point guard played over 36 minutes per game, at Georgia he played around 28. CJ is our best pick-and-roll player. It therefore makes sense to ensure that at the end of the meeting he is hopefully relatively fresh », his coach said again.
There to free Jaylen Johnson and others
Before two consecutive matches against Washington, the Hawks could see this experience in action previously on the floor of the Sixers, or at home against the Nets. Two minutes from the end of this match, Jalen Johnson accurately pushed Nolan Traore into the post, in order to get a better skin on CJ McCollum. With a penalty from behind the arc, he restored the advantage to their team.
« It was easier for guys like JJ and me. Having a second ball carrier, a second creator capable of attacking the paint to create an imbalance (between the opposition), is essential. These are the key elements for the end of the match », appreciates Nikhil Alexander-Walker.
The young Hawks know the biography of their teammate, he was “caught” several times in his career, and the peak was in 2019. during this Game 7 in Denver in the second round of the playoffs where the back end multiplied the feats to send the Blazers to the conference finals.
« He changed our games. He hit some big shots. Ultimately, he’s a player we can turn to, whether in isolation or on the pick-and-roll. He is someone who is very good at scoring and changing the flow of the game. CJ has been in the league for 13 years. He knows how to play, and if he is in the box at the end of the match, it is not for nothing », summarizes Dyson Daniels at the end.
2026-02-27 14:12:00
