Hawks’ role players producing results in early-season run without Trae Young

The Hawks have won five straight games, and they have a top-five defense.

The Hawks look good.

And they’ve done it all with their All-Star guard Trae Young, sidelined with a right MCL sprain.

Over the last nine games, the Hawks (9-5) have put up a 7-2 record, coming off winning all four of their games on their most recent western road trip, a feat no Hawks team has done since the 1970-71 season.

While the Hawks have fought their way into the top five records in the Eastern Conference, they’ve also gotten some crucial developmental minutes that will help them both in the long term and when Young returns.

When the Hawks constructed this roster during the offseason, they prioritized player archetypes instead of focusing on the idea of positional needs. They wanted players on the roster who had versatile skill sets, and they found that — with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. In Luke Kennard, they hoped to add another playmaker who could also add elite floor-spacing.

Alexander-Walker has thrived in the Hawks’ offensive system and hasn’t hesitated to take shots. He’s one of the Hawks’ best players to go out and deliver the team a bucket when they need it the most.

His defense has also elevated the level play the Hawks have on that side of the ball. He’s worked well in tandem with Dyson Daniels, the runner-up for defensive player of the year, to create a suffocating defense that has allowed the Hawks to create offensive opportunities.

They also looked to build a roster that they could consistently develop, and over the last nine games, they’ve seen some of the fruits of that labor.

Players like third-year forward Mouhamed Gueye flashed in a career-night performance against the Lakers, as he had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

A few nights later, Hawks wing Vit Krejci lit up the Clippers, going 8-of-10 from 3, in what sparked a scorching stretch for him from the perimeter. Krejci has since gone 10-of-18 from deep, earning him nicknames like “Pistol Vit,” “Vit going Krejci” and “Heat Czech.”

But it’s not just the Hawks’ role players who seem to take some big leaps in this stretch. Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu, who has mostly moved to the bench after the addition of Porzingis, has seemingly blossomed into a stretch-big. Okongwu made a career-best eight 3-pointers, on a career-high 14 3-point attempts in the Hawks’ win over the Jazz.

Okongwu has consistently shot the ball with confidence over the last two seasons. But in this span, he has seized the opportunity to shoot beyond his comfort zone.

The Hawks have also seen Daniels steadily grow into one of their top ball-handlers. They’ve thrived on Daniels’ ability to collapse defenses with his drives to the basket, which frees up teammates to score and help to a career-best 5.8 assists per game.

Daniels’ nose for the ball on the perimeter has also kick-started some of the Hawks’ transition plays, allowing them to play with more pace to keep defenses off balance.

Jalen Johnson made a big jump in production last season, and the 23-year-old has taken another step. Like Daniels, Johnson has been one of the Hawks’ primary facilitators in Young’s absence.

And like Daniels, Johnson has helped the Hawks to play with more pace. Johnson has stepped up as one of the Hawks’ top rebounders and it has been a catalyst for the Hawks getting out in transition and capitalizing on misses. Johnson currently averages a career-high 6.3 assists per game.

But Johnson has also continued to put his head down to score and as of late hasn’t shied away from knocking down shots from deep.

Hawks second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher also continues to improve and has begun to flash his own skills as a passer. He’s continued to play confidently, with a few breakout games.

So many players have had moments to shine in this hot stretch of games. It’s the kind of depth-building the team has seemed to lack in recent years.

The way the Hawks have played recently has raised questions of whether this team needs Young. The Hawks haven’t even gotten a chance to truly see what this team looks like with Young in the rotation.

Before his injury, the Hawks opening-day starting lineup of Young, Daniels, Risacher, Johnson and Porzingis played a combined 24 minutes. Alexander-Walker has played roughly 42 minutes with Young.