The Atlanta Hawks saw a newfound resurgence as they toppled a strong contender in the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. With the 99-94 upset victory, the Hawks further improved to an 8-0 tally under interim head coach Nate McMillan.
After the game, Hawks guard Trae Young spoke about the difference between McMillan and their former head coach in Lloyd Pierce, via The 3 Point Conversion.
“He’s giving everybody confidence and I think the main thing is he’s telling everybody to be themselves. It’s been really working for us.”
Pierce previously served as the team's main tactician for two and a half seasons from 2018 to 2021. He missed the playoffs twice and garnered an overall record of 63-120 through 183 appearances for the Hawks.
Midway through the 2020-21 season, the Atlanta-based club eventually sought a different direction and parted ways with Pierce. They decided to promote an experienced assistant coach in McMillan who previously had stints with several teams including the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Indiana Pacers.
With the level of confidence that McMillan was giving to his players, the Hawks turned things around as of late and got back in the playoff race with a 22-20 record for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. Though they managed to overcome a Lakers side without LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Young knows that his team can improve more and execute better on the floor in their coming games.
Hopefully, their interim head coach in Nate McMillan will serve as the final piece of the team's puzzle as the Hawks aim to get back in the postseason for the first time since 2017.
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