The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of an important homestand that could help them make up ground in the Eastern Conference. That means that they have to play some of their best ball, and that comes with making changes to the lineup to put them in the best position to win.
That's what head coach Quin Snyder recently did, inserting CJ McCollum into the starting lineup and bringing Zaccharie Risacher off the bench. This is not new territory for McCollum, as he's been a consistent starter throughout most of his career. He was recently asked about the lineup change at Hawks' shootaround.
“It’s a part of the game. I’ve played in 840 games in my career,” McCollum said to reporters. “I’ve obviously started for 10 years straight, and I’m comfortable with that. I told them when I got here, whatever you need me to do, I’ll do. I’ve played a lot of different roles in my career. I’ve been a DNP guy to start. I’ve been at 7th, 8th, and 9th man. I’ve been a starter. So whatever is necessary to help the team, I’ll do.”
For what McCollum has brought to the Hawks since he was traded, they'd like to have it in the starting lineup now rather than coming off the bench. At the same time, Risacher hasn't played particularly well in his second season, and it was time for a change.
“That group of guys that finished the game, their net rating is 10 points above any other combination,” Snyder said after their game against the Brooklyn Nets. “It’s our best lineup. Not starting CJ gives us ball handling and some scoring punch off the bench. But we don’t get that lineup as much.”
This move should not only help the Hawks start games off strong, but it could also give Risacher a chance to regain his confidence in a new role.
“I think the biggest thing, it doesn’t reflect in any way on our and my personal belief in Zacch,” Snyder said. “I thought it actually could be a positive for him to be in the game at a different stage against different matchups with different guys. And I was happy to see that I think that was the case. He looked relaxed, and he competed. Zacch’s about all the right stuff. His development is something that’s going to continue to happen whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.”
