Zaccharie Risacher's rumored demotion out of the picture after statement performance

The Atlanta Hawks remained on their home floor Saturday night, where they fell to the red-hot Charlotte Hornets 119-126.

Both teams entered the in-conference battle over the weekend with momentum. The amount that they had, however, was night and day. Not that the Hawks' picking up two consecutive victories was any small feat as they climb up the Eastern Conference standings, but the Hornets were the hottest team in the league. 

No, that’s not an exaggeration. Before Saturday’s showdown, Charlotte had won eight straight: the longest active streak in the NBA. It hasn’t been by luck of the schedule, either. This Hornets team is legit, and they’re beginning to make some noise as a sneaky playoff team. 

That said, Atlanta picking up their third straight win was going to be no small task, as it was facing a rejuvenated roster. They had some help, too. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Hawks were mostly healthy. 

While they were without newcomer Jonathan Kuminga, who continues to recover from a bone bruise, Buddy Hield, Gabe Vincent, and yes, even Onyeka Okongwu were available to play. Atlanta’s starting center had missed the previous four games with a dental fracture and was looking to anchor the frontcourt in his return. 

It couldn’t just be Okongwu, though. If the Hawks wanted any chance at securing a victory against the rolling Hornets, they needed strong contributions from the bulk of their roster, particularly from second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher.

In spite of the outside noise, Risacher answered the call.

He must've heard what fans were saying. Ever since Atlanta acquired Jonathan Kuminga from Golden State, the noise surrounding Risacher's starting job has been as loud as ever. Not that there was ever any validity to the rumors, but people were talking, and it was enough for the forward to respond with a quality performance.

The flame was lit as soon as the night began. Despite shooting 0/8 from the field just 48 hours prior, Risacher came out firing. By the end of the first quarter, he'd already racked up eight points, knocking down each of his two three-point attempts.

He never matched that scoring total in a quarter for the rest of the game, but his impact remained. It was undeniable. People have undermined Risacher's on-court impact all season, and what was evident in the past was evident again Saturday.

Not only was the Frenchman efficiently scoring at all three levels, but he was giving Charlotte's wings hell. Atlanta was a significantly better defensive team with him on the floor, making Quin Snyder's decision not close with him all the more confusing.

The second-year forward finished the night with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 7/10 from the field and 4/4 from three. In just 23 minutes, he left his mark on the game with a +2 +/- despite the loss.

Now, of course, when Kuminga is ready to play, the forward rotation will see some adjustments. One thing's for sure, though: Zaccharie Risacher, even while still receiving many fewer nightly minutes than he deserves, isn't leaving the starting lineup for a newcomer any time soon.