Zaccharie Risacher's transition to the bench has come naturally due to a key veteran

Hawks fans aren't used to what's been going on over the past couple of weeks.

Their team's won eight games in a row. "Easy schedule" this, "fake run" that, coincidences stop once streaks hit a certain mark. For the Hawks, they've seemingly reached that point. Not only are they connecting at an all-time high as a group, but there's been some telling individual performances along the way.

The most recent, and perhaps most notable, actually came against one of the weaker opponents of the run. On Thursday night, the Atlanta Hawks hosted the short-handed Brooklyn Nets for an intriguing in-conference showdown.

"Short-handed" is putting it lightly. It was the Hawks against Nic Claxton and friends. Still, an NBA team is an NBA team, and Atlanta had no room to overlook them as they went after their eighth consecutive victory.

One person that certainly didn't overlook them was Zaccharie Risacher. Despite the year-long inconsistencies and unfair outside noise surrounding his name, the second-year forward's truly committed to his development as a player.

Even facing a depleted team like the Nets, he maintained his impressive mentality and put his foot on the gas, delivering a statement performance. In 31 minutes off the bench, he poured in 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks on 6/12 from the field and 3/5 from three.

The statline was telling, but his connection with a certain veteran guard is what stood out the most.

Not many expected Risacher to get moved to the bench in just his second NBA season, but sometimes a bold move like that can unlock something special within a young player. Something even they may not have known they have.

The transition wasn't seamless, but as put on full display Thursday, it's all beginning to click. Now among the second unit, he's getting to share the floor with a guard who's been in his shoes before.

If there's anyone who's dealt with the drama of constantly moving between roles, it's Gabe Vincent. Through stints with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, Vincent's seen it all. Risacher knows he can learn from him.

"[Gabe's] a really smart player, a really great player," the second-year forward emphasized, "and as you said, a veteran."

Not only are they clearly connected off the court, but they've been able to showcase great chemistry during their limited minutes on it. Against Brooklyn, they were the first two substitutions off the bench, each making an undeniable early impact.

After knocking down back-to-back threes in the same corner, the bench duo got the transition opportunity of a lifetime: a two-on-one fastbreak. After several cross-court passes to reel in the lone defender, Vincent threw a lob to the trailing Risacher, who was able to make a poster out of Brooklyn's Danny Wolf.

Risacher continued to sing Vincent's praises after the game, adding, "As a young player, it's good for me to have somebody like him - somebody I can talk to, I can ask questions. It's just been great having him around."

Getting benched is never easy, especially in year two. However, with a veteran like Gabe Vincent always having his back, the young forward will be just fine. As the Hawks look to end the regular season on a high note, they'll need Zaccharie Risacher to continue playing with confidence and creativity.