Hawks’ Quin Snyder clears the air on Zaccharie Risacher bench decision

The Atlanta Hawks made a change to their starting lineup before the game against the Brooklyn Nets, placing CJ McCollum in the starting lineup and bringing Zaccharie Risacher off the bench. Risacher had been struggling over the course of the season, and head coach Quin Snyder noted that when McCollum is in the closing lineup with the starters, the stats show that good things tend to happen.

“That group of guys that finished the game, their net rating is 10 points above any other combination,” Snyder said. “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.”

Though some could see this as a demotion for Risacher, Snyder believes that this could help the second-year player find a spark in his game.

“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.”

In their win against the Nets, Risacher finished with seven points and started off his first stint in the game strong. For the players, they don’t see it as a big difference with who is in the starting lineup, as long as everybody continues to do their job.

“I think guys just come in and play their roles,” Dyson Daniels said. “Zacch was really good coming off the bench. He came in and he was kind of an energy boost for us. Came in and hit a big shot. Whoever starts, whoever comes off the bench, it doesn’t really matter. Guys have to come in and play their roles, and guys have to start the right way.”

After averaging 12.6 points per game last season, Risacher is averaging 10.3 points this season. There have been moments where he’s looked good, but there have also been times where he’s struggled to find a consistent rhythm on either side of the ball.

On the other hand, the lineup of McCollum, Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu had a +18.7 point differential coming into the Nets game.

“In this case, it’s just at a point where it made sense with CJ out there,” Snyder said. “I think he settles us in some ways, too. And the additional ball handling is helpful for us. We’ve had some really tough starts lately, and you get to a five, six-minute mark when you know you’re going to get that lineup.”

With the Hawks looking to make a run in the second half of the season, a lineup change that will help them should come as no surprise.

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