Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder highlighted the contributions of Christian Koloko and Mouhamed Gueye after overcoming foul trouble from Onyeka Okongwu in Wednesday’s 124-122 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
“The thing that Mo brings all the time is just energy, and that energy and emotion, you know, is infectious,” Snyder said. “Christian, his first game to be thrown in those situations, and then when O fouled out to go back in the game, shows a lot of poise. It was big for us to have those minutes tonight.”
Snyder also praised Koloko’s confidence in shooting. “He didn’t hesitate and think about it. We have a number of guys that hit some big shots tonight. CJ hit a couple big shots. Nickeil, after not shooting well during the course of the game, made two big threes. When the ball moves and you end up with that shot, you have more confidence in him.”
Luke Kennard also received attention for his performance against his former team. “He played with a lot of fire. His scoring, his mid-range is like a layup, and he came up with a big loose-ball rebound late. We had a lot of guys that brought good energy.”
Quin Snyder singled out CJ McCollum’s veteran presence down the stretch. “He doesn’t make that turnover. To see him respond, steal the ball on the other end, that says a lot about who he is. It was a winning play.”
The Hawks’ ball movement was another factor in the win. “The ball moving, particularly in the first half, ended up with 34 assists, 19 at halftime. Sometimes the drive and pass is just as important, or more important, than the guy that gets the shot. When you make those plays, you show confidence in your teammate, and those shots become our shots instead of one guy’s individual shot.”
Snyder acknowledged the team’s challenges and mental focus. “We got bogged down a little in the third quarter, but we’re best when the ball moves and we can get out and run. Memphis starts games really strong, and when we took that first timeout, our guys collected themselves and raised our level. That urgency was good to see.”
Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and a late go-ahead basket, while Kennard and Okongwu added 18 points each. Atlanta improved to 21-25, snapping a four-game losing streak, while Memphis fell to 18-24.
