The Atlanta Hawks have won seven of their last nine games. On pace to easily surpass their 36 wins from last season, the Hawks have started to gain some of the national attention they deserve.
During Atlanta’s recent run to the NBA Cup semifinals, four-time champion Draymond Green reacted to the Hawks’ signature win over the New York Knicks on a December 14 episode of his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show". Green and special guest Baron Davis praised Trae Young and the Hawks for the threat they have posed to elite teams in the Eastern Conference.
Early in the segment, Green shouted out a specific player that he believes has made the Hawks so dangerous this season. That player is De’Andre Hunter.
“Who has made this team as dangerous as they’ve been is the play of De’Andre Hunter,” Green said. “De’Andre Hunter comes in, lottery pick. You kind of see glimpses … Now you’re starting to see him grow into the player that everybody thought Hunter could be coming out of Virginia.
“He’s starting to take that next step and become a consistent guy every night, shooting the piss out of the ball. Trae Young is doing what Trae Young does … But I think who has really made that team dangerous is the emergence of De’Andre Hunter …”
Davis recalled watching the Hawks-Knicks matchup and noticing a “different level of confidence” in Hunter’s game. Since returning from his early-season injury layoff, Hunter has averaged 19.3 points across 16 contests.
As Green said, Hunter really has shot the heck out of the ball. The six-year pro has nailed a career-high 44.9% of his 3-pointers and 85.9% of his free throws. Incredibly enough, Hunter has put together this career year off the bench. He has only started in two of his 16 appearances.
Averaging a career-low in minutes per game and a career-high in points per game, Hunter has been simply sensational. His per-minute production is beyond anything he has done in previous years, and the Hawks have gone 11-5 when he plays.
The emergence of De’Andre Hunter and others has made Trae Young more dangerous
Green and Davis also discussed how defenses can overlook Ice Trae and his lethal skill set when supporting pieces like Hunter are balling out. From the breakout seasons of Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels to No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher’s upside and the steady play of Atlanta’s big men, the Hawks can give opposing defenses headaches with the volume of options they have at their disposal.
“They’ve got versatile guys who are skilled that can make plays, which makes Trae Young so much more important,” Davis said. “It’s almost like you can forget about Trae Young if they play good, and that’s the last thing you wanna do. He takes a lot of attention. When those dudes start hooping, you’ve got to pick your poison.”
Young is at his best when he isn’t forcing his offense. Surrounded by a cohesive unit of teammates who know their roles and play them well, Young can play freely within a free-flowing offense that he orchestrates so seamlessly.
The emergence of Hunter, among other Hawks, has injected this team with a different kind of swagger compared to previous seasons. Young put that swagger on full display with a hilariously on-brand celebration after his second Knicks win of the season.
🎲 Trae Young playing dice on the Knicks’ logo.
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 12, 2024
Hawks (+277 ML) upset the Knicks and advance in the NBA Cup.pic.twitter.com/qI2ipBdBur
Young couldn’t roll any more dice against Milwaukee when the Bucks toppled Atlanta in the next round of the NBA Cup. However, one thing seems certain: The Hawks are officially a problem, and they’re not going away anytime soon.