Few teams in the Eastern Conference were expected to enter the contender conversation this late in the season. Yet the Atlanta Hawks are beginning to force their way into it.
Atlanta recently secured its ninth straight victory, continuing one of the hottest streaks in the league. The run included a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, extending a surge that few analysts saw coming.
Despite that momentum, the Hawks still sit ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, which is exactly why they remain one of the most overlooked teams in the playoff race.
9 straight wins, 14-6 record in the last 20 games, best streak since the 2015-2016 regular season. If it looks like a duck swims like a duck and quacks like a duck then it probably is a duck.
Atlanta Hawks were already adjusting before the Trae Young trade
Atlanta’s recent success did not come entirely out of nowhere. The Hawks had already been playing stretches of strong basketball without Trae Young before the trade deadline.
Young missed time with injuries earlier in the season, forcing the Hawks to experiment with a different offensive structure. During that period, the ball moved more freely, and the team leaned into a more balanced attack.
Still, when the front office ultimately traded Young, the move looked more like a reset than a push toward contention. Even with the new acquisitions bolstering the roster, few believed the Hawks were suddenly about to become a serious threat in the East.
For most observers, Atlanta looked like a team stabilizing its future, not building immediate momentum.
CJ McCollum has emerged as the Atlanta Hawks’ leader
One of the biggest reasons the Hawks have continued to climb is the leadership of CJ McCollum, the new man in the house.
Since the roster changes, McCollum has stepped into the role of offensive leader and delivered several crucial performances. Against Milwaukee, he dropped 30 points, helping guide Atlanta through another win during the streak.
His experience has helped stabilize the team while allowing younger players and role players to thrive within a more balanced system.
Instead of relying on one dominant ball-handler, the Hawks are spreading responsibility across the lineup, which has made their offense harder to predict.
The Hawks are still ninth but becoming a dangerous dark horse
Even with nine straight wins, the Hawks remain ninth in the East, which means they still have significant ground to cover just to secure a comfortable playoff position. But momentum matters in the NBA, especially late in the season.
Atlanta’s recent run suggests the team has found a new identity built around depth, movement, and collective scoring rather than one high-usage star.
That shift does not automatically turn the Hawks into a title favorite. However, it does make them a dangerous opponent that few teams may be eager to face.
For a team that looked directionless just weeks ago, Atlanta suddenly appears to be something very different: a dark horse the rest of the Eastern Conference might regret overlooking.