Nickeil Alexander-Walker Makes Hawks History Vs. Knicks

In the third quarter, Alexander-Walker passed Bogdan Bogdanovic for the No. 1 spot in the single-season record of 3-pointers made. Bogdanovic had 240 made shots from deep during the 2023-24 season, and the former Virginia Tech guard made 241 on Monday against the New York Knicks.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Could Win the Most Improved Player Award

Alexander-Walker has been one of the biggest differences for the Hawks this season. He is the team's second-leading scorer behind first-time All-Star Jalen Johnson. Together, they've been the offensive engine of the team, leading them to the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference. Although they are a young group, the Hawks have shown that they could be a dark-horse contender to win it all.

The 27-year-old guard has an argument to be named the Most Improved Player this season. Although it could be a tight race among the candidates, since other players have a strong case to win the award. Still, Alexander-Walker's improvement is remarkable. Players like Deni Avdjia and Jalen Duren are some of his toughest competition to win the award.

Last season, when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was a supporting player behind stars Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. He was utilized more as a perimeter lockdown defender, tasked to guard the opposing team's best players. He also came off the bench and finished sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Before he joined the Hawks, he averaged 8.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists through six seasons. It is important to acknowledge the massive improvement in his output this season. Thanks to his strong campaign, Atlanta has made a comeback to the postseason after missing it for the past two years.