The Atlanta Hawks have had an incredible run after the All-Star break under interim head coach Nate McMillan. When he took over, the Hawks were sitting eleventh in the standings. Then McMillan came in and gave the team systems and structures which helped the team no end.
Famously, he took them to fifth in the standings at the end of the regular season. The Hawks then accounted for the New York Knicks in five games and then took out the No.1 seed in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers, in seven tough games. McMillan’s cinderella story has at least one more chapter to be written this season.
Right back at the start of his tenure, McMillan corrected one mistake of Lloyd Pierce who was obviously not sure who to give the backup center minutes to. He missed the opportunity to develop rookie Onyeka Okongwu, which is abnormal for a coach who was lauded for his player development acumen.
The Atlanta Hawks needed Onyeka Okongwu against the 76ers
McMillan gave Okongwu court time to hasten his development, also giving him a role and a level of responsibility. When he proved that he could meet these goals, McMillan gave him more court time and a greater role.
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While Okongwu said all the right things under Pierce, now he is doing everything asked of him by his coach. Then, when the Hawks traded Rajon Rondo for Lou Williams, things really started to click, given the tremendous connection the two have on the picks and roll.
However, where Okongwu has earned more time is that he has bought energy to the playoffs. He has been battling the much bigger bodies of Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard, and he has not taken a backward step.
In fact, his block on Tobias Harris was one of the best moments of the series. Harris was going up hard for the dunk and Okongwu met him at the peak of his leap, erasing the shot. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they would lose this game but the 76ers would now be having second thoughts about attacking the rim with Okongwu on the court.
Now Okongwu and the Hawks face the Milwaukee Bucks and the challenges are different for the series. Brook Lopez is a tremendous 3-point shooter and Bobby Portis is very efficient around the hoop. The Bucks also have the inside presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to contend with.
Okongwu will not be overmatched by too great a margin by Lopez or Portis. He will have the potential to have a much greater impact on the game, He may have missed out on an All-Rookie team spot, but the experience he is getting in these playoffs is going to serve him better than any individual honor.