The Atlanta Hawks went on one of the most surprising playoff runs last season when they took down the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers to react the Eastern Conference Finals. Many fans did not see it coming since their roster was filled with a plethora of role players along with one superstar in Trae Young.

Coach Nate McMillan spearheaded the massive success of the Hawks last season, but things have been glaringly different this 2021-22. Atlanta has been one of the teams most affected by injuries and COVID-19 protocols this year, while McMillan continues to have trouble finding the perfect rotation with his numerous role players.

It has been a rollercoaster season for Atlanta as they are currently in the 10th seed, clinging to the final play-in spot with over 20 games left. For them to replicate their success, they must rectify many of their mistakes from the early juncture of the season.

Atlanta Hawks' Burning Questions After 2022 NBA All-Star Break

3. How will John Collins be utilized by Nate McMillan?

Over the past two seasons, there were certain instances wherein John Collins would be frustrated with how he was utilized by McMillan. A slew of their offensive schemes involve Young manufacturing offense through pick-and-rolls and constant attacking off the rim. Collins could possibly want to be more involved with increased touches and shot attempts that are not dunks.

The problem continues to persist because there are times wherein the Hawks flourish with four perimeter players who all shoot at an excellent level along with one huge center in either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu. Collins was just recently signed to a max extension in the offseason for five years, $125 million, which could be the primary reason why he would want to be maximized within the offensive sets of Atlanta.

2. How will the Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu situation pan out?

When Clint Capela was out for several games due to an injury, Onyeka Okongwu was superb on both ends of the floor as a rim runner and rim protector. The Hawks were abysmal in the 2020 campaign, which gave them the chance to select Okongwu with the sixth pick in the following draft. Okongwu was able to showcase his repertoire as he built sensational chemistry with Young. Additionally, his timing and awareness are advanced for a player just in his second year in the association.

With the tremendous success of Okongwu, it created a logjam in the big man position. Moreover, it is concerning that Capela and Okongwu cannot be on the floor at the same time because their shooting abilities and versatility are subpar compared to the quicker bigs or wings in the league.

1. Can the Hawks' defense compete with the best of the East?

There is no doubt that the Hawks are one of the top teams in the league offensively. Young steers the ship alongside numerous shooters like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter and Danilo Gallinari. When the spacing is ideal, defenses tend to have a difficult time closing out on all the long-range marksmen and containing Young with his ability to maneuver through any sort of defense.

Basketball is played on both sides of the spectrum and Atlanta continues to be a disaster defensively. They are currently 27th in the association with a defensive rating of 113.3. That cannot be the case for a team that has legitimate aspirations of going through the grueling Eastern Conference. Their wings are incredible shooters, but opponents always get a straight line to the rim against the Hawks as well. Atlanta does not need to be magnificent on defense like the Boston Celtics or Golden State Warriors, but they must crack at least the top 15 this year if they want to stand a chance against the best of the best.

The Hawks still have a big chance to make the playoffs with the new play-in tournament format. Anyone knows that they are more than capable of upsetting any franchise in that knockout game with their ability to just go hot and explode offensively. Even if that is the case, it is back to square one in the playoffs and their issues must be addressed quickly.