CJ McCollum’s telling debut proves that all the Hawks needed was a veteran scorer

The Atlanta Hawks continued on their road trip Sunday night, where they defeated the Golden State Warriors 124-111.

Both teams were looking to build off a recent wave of momentum. After disappointing starts to the year for both franchises, they’ve been slowly flipping the script on the season and outperforming expectations. 

Golden State has been sneakily rising up the Western Conference standings over the last two weeks. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, they had won seven of their last ten, including two in a row over Sacramento and Milwaukee. 

Atlanta, while also coming off consecutive victories, has dealt with their own fair share of drama off the court. On Wednesday night, in the fourth quarter of a home game against the Pelicans, the Hawks traded away star guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. 

While heavily rumored for some time, the quickness with which a deal came about when discussions heated up was telling. It was clear that both sides needed a fresh start. 

Many viewed Atlanta’s return package as underwhelming. They were unable to receive any draft compensation for their four-time All-Star. Instead, they valued future financial flexibility and immediate veteran leadership in exchange for the best player in the deal. 

CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert were wasting their talents in Washington. As proven veterans in the league, they were anxiously awaiting an opportunity to contribute on a team with playoff hopes.

After not being with the team for the first game post-Trae, McCollum and Kispert made their Hawks debut Sunday night. 

CJ got a higher minute load than expected and was able to deliver

For the first time since the 2014-15 season, CJ McCollum wasn't in the starting lineup. He came off the bench, and while many would expect his overall impact to go down, he made sure that wasn't the case.

Despite only having one full practice with the team before his Hawks debut, the thirteenth-year veteran looked mighty comfortable in his new role. The shots may not have fallen at the rate he'd hoped, but he showed all the glimpses of volume and fit that fans have long been searching for.

Instead of disrupting the offensive flow, he fit right in. Immediately upon checking into the game, he went to work in isolation and knocked down a tough mid-range pull-up.

This first make wasn't an early sign of an efficient night, however, as he really started to cool down as the game progressed. Even with his shot not falling, his impact remained undeniable. He was the lead facilitator during the team's impressive late third quarter rally, generating quality looks to the red-hot shooters on the wing.

Heading into the final frame, McCollum was a game-high +21 despite not having a standout performance in the box score. Warriors fans can attest to it: his impact was more than felt.

In the final minutes of the game, just as soon as Golden State began to march back, McCollum converted an and-one, effectively sealing an important Atlanta victory.

He finished his Hawks debut with 12 points and 4 assists on 5/14 from the floor.

While not a perfect night from the field, one thing was clear: the Hawks desperately needed another veteran guard to help stabilize the second unit. Atlanta is now 2-0 since the blockbuster trade, with everything seemingly headed in the right direction.