Atlanta is No. 8 in a crowded Eastern Conference, with just two games separating No. 5 seed Toronto from No. 9 seed Philadelphia heading into Wednesday.

Quickly into the season, many labeled Nickeil Alexander-Walker as one of the best free-agency signings of the offseason. The veteran has proved why pretty much every night.

Despite the NBA canceling the Hawks’ Magic City promotion, fans wore gear and homemade hoodies to show support for the Atlanta strip club at Monday’s game.

The Atlanta Hawks pounded the rival Orlando Magic with 16 3-pointers, moved the ball unselfishly and didn’t back down from the visiting team’s physical style.

Things ended with a little extra sauce following the Atlanta Hawks’ 124-112 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

The Hawks won their ninth straight game on Saturday, downing the Milwaukee Bucks 122-99. Jalen Johnson had his 23rd triple-double of the season.

The Hawks will have far less room for error as their schedule winds down. Of the 16 games left in the regular season, six are against teams with a .500 record or better.

The eight-game win streak is a season-best for the Hawks and continues the NBA’s longest active winning streak.

Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has struggled to shoot the ball this year, but his on-ball defense and ability to penetrate and facilitate on offense have been key.

It’s easy to dismiss the surge as nothing more than the Hawks taking advantage of a soft spot in the schedule. But I'm not doing that.