5 things to watch over the Hawks’ final 26 regular-season games

The Hawks have a very different roster than the one they had when they began the season. With a little more than a quarter of the season left, the Hawks have 26 games to evaluate how all of their new pieces fit into their vision of the future.

After a road-heavy schedule in the earlier stages of the season, the Hawks have only 10 road games remaining. Earlier in the season, the Hawks had one of the better road records in the NBA. But they have come back to earth, with a 16-15 road record before the All-Star break.

But the Hawks have also struggled at State Farm Arena, posting one of the 10 worst home records in the NBA. They rank 23rd, winning only 10 of the 25 home games they’ve played.

The Hawks have two five-game home stands coming out of the All-Star break. While four of the teams rank among the bottom 10 teams in the league, the Hawks have sometimes struggled against teams with worse records. According to StatMuse, the Hawks are 26-30 against teams with records under .500 this season.

Here are some things to watch in the final 26 games of the regular season.

The continued growth at top of rotation

The Hawks have seen the growth of several players in the rotation.

Forward Jalen Johnson returns fresh off his appearance in the All-Star Game. While Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu should be refreshed after their high use in the first half of the season.

Four of the Hawks’ five regular starting players are in the midst of career seasons, with Johnson and Alexander-Walker in the race for Most Improved Player. Daniels has unlocked other tools on offense, even in a down shooting season. Okongwu has grown more confidence as a shooter.

Making up ground

After losing the final of four games to the Hornets heading into the break, the Hawks fell to 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule while the Magic, Heat and Hornets, who all rank above the Hawks in the standings, have slightly more difficult schedules.

The Hawks have foundered in Play-In purgatory for the past four years. But they are only five games back from a spot in the top six. According to ESPN data scientist Dean Oliver, the Hawks likely would have to post a 20-6 record the rest of the way to crack the top six.

Evaluating Jonathan Kuminga

The Hawks acquired wing Jonathan Kuminga at the trade deadline in exchange for veteran Kristaps Porzingis. Reports have come out about the latter part of Kuminga’s tenure with the Warriors, but the Hawks have taken a swing on the young wing, who still has great potential.

Kuminga’s athletic ability could fit in well with the Hawks, who want to run a transition-heavy offense. His ability to attack the rim gives the Hawks a threat in the paint who could draw trips to the free-throw line.

Plus, Kuminga, 23, matches the timeline of the team’s core players in Johnson (24), Daniels (22), Alexander-Walker (27) and Okongwu (25).

Appraising the other veterans

The Hawks have plenty of young talent on the roster, but they’ve added more veterans with meaningful postseason experience. So the Hawks will want to see how some of those guys fit in to the roster both on the court as well as contractually.

Guards CJ McCollum and Gabe Vincent, as well as center Jock Landale, are on expiring contracts. Buddy Hield’s deal is just partially guaranteed.

Each of the players who the Hawks acquired at the trade deadline could log meaningful minutes down the stretch of the season. McCollum, Hield and Corey Kispert are all 38% or better career shooters, and the Hawks have bolstered it by converting the two-way contract of Caleb Houstan to a standard deal.