Not only are the Hawks the only team to go 17-0 during an entire month, but now the starting five are the only starting core to share Player of the Month honors. All the starters — DeMarre Carroll, Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, and Paul Millsap — were in double figure scoring, but none were at 20 points, demonstrating the balance of this team. The Hawks won 19 in a row until the New Orleans Pelicans ended the streak on Monday night, but they got back to their winning ways with a 105-96 victory over the Washington Wizards to stretch their win streak over Eastern Conference opponents to 13 straight. Coach Mike Budenholzer is a pretty happy chap about it as well and think they really deserved it.
“We appreciate the recognition of our starters’ play during this past month. It is reflective of all the work our entire team and organization has put in. We place a strong emphasis on having the right approach every day and making daily improvement. Collectively, we know that we have a lot more work to do this season and look forward to continue growing as a team.”
Budenholzer will also coach the Eastern Conference All-Star thanks to his team’s standing as the top seed in the East.