Playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks reaching potential with strong finish under Nate McMillan

The 2021 version of the Atlanta Hawks came into the season with expectations of a playoff berth.

With the dynamic duo of big man John Collins and superstar Trae Young, as well as the addition of sharp shooting Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Sacramento Kings and center Clint Capela from the Houston Rockets in house, Hawks general manager Travis Schenk also bolstered the Hawks bench by adding veteran guard Rajon Rondo as a back-up point guard to Young. The Hawks filled out the bench with three point specialist Tony Snell and power forward Danilo Gallinari.

With all of this talent assembled, the Hawks looked like a team with the ability to be a contender in the Eastern Conference right away. Unfortunately, things did not get off to a good start — a 14-20 mark — under head coach Lloyd Pierce. The inability to close out games in the fourth quarter factored heavily into the firing of Pierce on March 1.

The organization turned to assistant coach Nate McMillan to be the interim head coach. McMillan brought a calming, veteran presence to the Hawks immediately as head coach. Prior to his tenure in Atlanta, McMillan had been head coach for the Indiana Pacers, Seattle Supersonics and Portland Trailblazers. Under McMillan’s direction, the Hawks have streaked to a 26-12 record, as well as the fifth seed in the Eastern conference at 41-31 overall. After the tumultuous start, the Hawks are flourishing right before our eyes.

Young and Collins, two of the top players in the NBA, average 25.5 and 16.6 points per game, respectively. With that being said, the true X factor for the 2021 Atlanta Hawks has been Capela, acquired in the trade with Houston in Feb. 2020. Capella has had an MVP caliber season, averaging 15.2 points, as well as 14.3 rebounds per game for the Hawks in 2021. The Hawks have a few familiar faces on the roster such as South Gwinnett grad Lou Williams and former Norcross standout Brandon Goodwin. The Hawks acquired Williams in a trade deadline deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, dealing a second-round pick and point guard Rajon Rondo. This trade may go down as one of the most impactful trades in Atlanta Hawks history. Lou Williams is like a microwave, instantly heating up the Hawks offense when he enters the game. Williams has done most of the damage in the fourth quarter for the Hawks. Goodwin is an ascending guard, making an impact off the bench.

Overall, up until this year Hawks fans haven’t had a lot to cheer about since Atlanta’s last playoff appearance in 2017. A rebuild is no fun for a fanbase to go through, but the 2021 Hawks have brought excitement back to Atlanta, proving the rebuild is over. There hasn’t been this much excitement for Hawk fans since the 2014 Hawks team compiled an astounding 60-22 regular season record, reaching the conference finals.

The past is the past and the 2021 Hawks are ready to prove the time is now to make a deep playoff run. The Hawks will make that 2021 playoff debut Saturday, May 22, against the resurgent New York Knicks.