1. Jeff Teague
Every Atlanta Hawks fan has been dying to see the same Jeff Teague we have seen all season long. Coach Mike Budenholzer has preached to Teague to be more aggressive and attack the paint at every opportunity he can. On Tuesday night, Teague did not disappoint. Right from the tip, he was aggressive, getting in the lane and creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. Teague ended the night with 26 points and 8 assists. He also stepped up when it counted most, hitting a huge three-point shot with the shot clock winding down to put the Hawks up seven points with just over a minute to play.Teague is an engine that ignites this Hawks team, and that engine was turned on tonight. This is the Jeff Teague that the Hawks need to be successful this postseason. This is the Jeff Teague that made his first All-Star appearance of his career this season. And this is the Jeff Teague that can lead the Hawks to their first ever Eastern Conference Finals appearance if he continues to stay aggressive.
2. Dennis Schröder
Tuesday night was a night that the point guards for the Hawks really shined. Much like Teague, Schröder got in the lane and made the right decisions on a consistent basis. Coming off Schröder’s huge Game 3 peformance, Mike Budenholzer elected to play both the German sensation and all-star point guard for most of the game, and it paid off. This was the first time Coach Budenholzer has elected to use the two point guard set in the postseason for a long period of time , but judging off the result, it is safe to say Hawks fans should expect to see a lot more of this as the playoffs continue.Schröder scored 14 points and also had 8 assists. Schröder’s play has gotten better and better as the playoffs continue, and he could put the Hawks over the top going forward.
3. Al Horford
Al Horford brought his clutch defense and shooting on Monday night. It was nothing special, as he scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but he does it almost every night. Horford has really struggled with his shot this post season, but that was not the case in Game 4. Horford started out hot, making multiple mid-range jumpers, which opened up the rest of the floor for the Hawks. When Horford and Teague are playing like this, the Hawks are a very hard team to beat, even on the road. It was a great performance by all three of these guys, and it was well needed. The Hawks will play Game 5 against the Wizards at Philips Areana on Wednesday night and Horford needs to continue his consistency.
Honarable Mention: Bradley Beal
The main reason the Wizards were able to stay in the game through four quarters was the outstanding play of Bradley Beal. He scored 34 points, dished out 7 assists, and also collected 6 rebounds. It was an absolutely incredible performance from the young star and it will be fun to duke it out with him the rest of this series. The kid can flat out score and has sky high potential.
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