The Atlanta Hawks got back in the win column on Thursday night. They took down the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting a team effort across the board. Aaron Wiggins stood out for his bench performance, but CJ McCollum, though the stats don’t pop off the box score, was important, too. He did what the Hawks need him to do: Playmake.
When the Hawks ended the Trae Young era last season, they still needed a guy to set up the offense. Obviously, Jalen Johnson is going to be that guy, but they also need a guard creator. McCollum dished out eight assists against the Cavs. He didn’t score super well, but he still did his job. He helped set the Hawks up for success.
Ideally, the Hawks need McCollum to give them some perimeter shot creation, too. But they really just need him to be a reliable handler and offensive initiator. That’s what he did on Thursday night.
CJ McCollum's playmaking was important against the Cavaliers
In addition to his eight assists, McCollum added five points, three rebounds, and two steals to the table. He shot 1-of-8 from the floor and 0-of-4 from behind the three-point arc.
McCollum also turned the ball over four times, which wasn’t ideal, but the eight assists were definitely important. Offense led the way for the Hawks against the Cavs.
Atlanta finished the game with 114 points, barely eking out a 114-111 victory. The Cavs went up by 15 points in the first quarter, but the Hawks battled back quickly and held the lead.
McCollum was important for the Hawks as they were trying to come back from down double digits. He dished out four assists in the pivotal second quarter and was a +10 in that frame.
That’s exactly why the Hawks re-signed McCollum this summer. Again, the scoring would be nice – like the scoring he provided in the first round against the New York Knicks last year – but the offensive organization is just as important.
Atlanta has playmakers. Dyson Daniels can make things happen. Nickeil Alexander-Walker can, too. Obviously, Johnson is going to play a huge role in the playmaking department.
But McCollum is their lead guard. The Hawks didn’t make a splash this season. They just brought back McCollum to be their starting point guard, and that’s exactly what he did on Thursday night against the Cavs.
It wasn’t a perfect performance by any means. McCollum can and will be better. But his eight assists were important.
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