It only took 10 minutes for Vit Krejci to prove he deserves more playing time

With Trae Young and Nickeil Alexander-Walker sidelined with injuries, the Atlanta Hawks have had to dig deep into their rotation for consistent offense. Most would expect guys like Dyson Daniels and Luke Kennard to step up in their absence, and while they still played well, it was Vit Krejci who had Clippers fans stunned.

Atlanta began their first west coast trip of the season on Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. It was going to be a tough test without two of their top guys, but this team has proven on numerous occasions that their "next man up" mentality is one of the best in the league.

Despite an impressive outing a few nights ago, Atlanta had about as rough of a start as any fan could have imagined. Los Angeles was carving their defense, connecting in the paint while also being effective from the outside. Based on evidence from prior games, an answer from the away team was inevitable.

Midway through the second quarter, Atlanta's shooting percentages were awful. They were down double digits and none of their main rotation players were doing much to help cut into the lead. The team needed a spark in the most obvious way.

Vit Krejci's unreal sequence was everything Atlanta needed

After playing only four minutes in the first quarter and knocking down a single three in the process, Quin Snyder opted to rely on Krejci for an offensive spark. This would end up being a game-changing decision, as the fifth-year forward had the quarter of his life.

Krejci logged 10 minutes in the second quarter, where he put up 14 points on 4/6 from beyond the arc. He was letting it fly out there, knocking down a three on three consecutive possessions. He recorded the fourth one later in the quarter. This run tied the game after Atlanta had trailed by as many as 17 points.

Before heading into the locker room for halftime, Krejci was interviewed by Atlanta's courtside reporter, where he noted that the team's pace was the biggest factor in cutting back into the lead. Atlanta's ability to get out and running as a team has led to a variety of open looks all season, and this was especially evident during Krejci's spectacular second quarter.

The decision from Coach Snyder to give Krejci some extended run was genius. He was on an absolute heater, and Snyder is not always the type to switch up his rotation, even when someone is performing well.

Krejci got even more run in the second half, where he did not slow down. He finished the night with 28 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists on 8/10 from deep. He was incredible in the final few minutes, banking in a late three and getting a steal on Los Angeles' final possession.

Vit Krejci was simply too good to keep off the court. If he continues to shoot the ball the way he did and impact the game on the defensive end, his minutes could, and should, see a significant increase.