The Atlanta Hawks knew it was time to move on from Trae Young, but what they didn't know was how much of an impactful player they'd be getting in return for their point guard. Sorry, Corey Kispert, but I'm talking about CJ McCollum. You know, that old guy who just dropped a game-high 32 points to beat the Knicks in Game 2.
McCollum pulled out the heroics, giving the Hawks a 101-100 lead (their first since the second quarter) with 2:08 left, courtesy of a driving layup. He added two more clutch shots to go with that (luckily, his missed free throws didn't matter). He was the one to take over down the stretch at MSG, not Jalen Brunson.
It felt like things were over for Atlanta when it was down by as many as 14 in the second half, but playoff basketball is unpredictable. Luckily, this time, the result swung in the Hawks' favor, who are feeling great with the series headed to State Farm Arena.
Without CJ, they'd be facing a 2-0 deficit, with their season hanging in the balance. What a difference a couple of minutes makes.
Trae Young trade gave Hawks unexpected playoff hero in CJ McCollum
McCollum put Atlanta on his back, as Jalen Johnson shot 0-for-4 in the first half, with all four of his points coming at the free-throw line. The All-Star turned things around in the second half, finishing with 17 points, but it was CJ who was the star of the show.
He's averaging 29 points in the first two playoff games, which isn't bad at all for a player who outsiders viewed as mostly just an afterthought in the Young trade. There was some speculation that Atlanta might try to flip CJ before the deadline, but it's a good thing that didn't happen.
As surprising as Young's price tag was (that was really all they got for their second-most popular player in franchise history?), Atlanta still found a way to cash in. The front office probably didn't have this kind of scenario in mind, but to be fair, no one did.
McCollum can keep adding to his value, too. It'd be nice if he didn't have to play hero again, though, with Johnson or Nickeil Alexander-Walker stepping up instead. It's nice knowing that CJ can rise to the challenge on this stage.
Young had his fun for the Hawks in the playoffs, and now, it's McCollum's turn. Imagine reading that sentence in 2021, or even six months ago.
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