AJ Neuharth-Keusch

USA TODAY Sports

WASHINGTON — With his 29-point, 11-assist performance in a four-point loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder became the first Hawk since "Pistol" Pete Maravich (1973) to record at least 25 points and 10 assists in a playoff game.

Talk about good company.

It was just the latest All-Star-esque outing for the fourth-year guard, who has upped his game to a new level in this first-round series, which Washington now leads 3-2.

Through five playoff games, the 23-year-old — who spent the majority of his first three seasons playing behind the since-traded Jeff Teague — is averaging 24.4 points (on 45.7% shooting), 7.2 assists, 2.8 three-pointers (on 43.8% shooting) and just 1.6 turnovers — an across-the-board increase from the regular season.

"The confidence he has, the aggressiveness, the competitiveness — all those things rise this time of year," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Schroder, who made the first playoff start of his career in Game 1. "On the road (tonight), he was great. He shot the ball really well. I think he's gaining more and more confidence. When he's shooting the ball like that, other things open up for his teammates and for himself. I think his competitiveness and his desire to be really good and to grow is something that we lean on heavily."

Schroder hit 10 of his 18 shots (five of his six three-point attempts) in the losing effort. After making all four of his attempts from beyond the arc in the first half, he knocked down a stepback three over Wizards guard Bradley Beal with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter to bring Atlanta within two.

Now ask him how much he cares.

"I don't care really about stats," Schroder said. "We needed a win and that's all that matters."

Game 6 — which is win-or-go-home for the Hawks — is on Friday in Atlanta.

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