Hawks 139, Wizards 132: Atlanta's season-high night holds off a 38-point Washington fourth
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort and Onyeka Okongwu led six Hawks in double figures as Atlanta won its third straight in NBA Cup group play.
The Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 139-132 at State Farm Arena on Friday, 6 November, in NBA Cup group play, scoring a season high and holding on after Washington outscored them in the fourth quarter.
The scoring
ESPN's recap lists Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 28 points for Atlanta, Lu Dort with 25, Onyeka Okongwu with 22 and Aaron Wiggins with 19 off the bench. Trae Young added 23 points and 10 assists but also a season-high eight turnovers, and Dyson Daniels had 13 points and 12 assists.
For Washington, Kyshawn George scored 33 and Tre Johnson 23, including five three-pointers. AJ Dybantsa finished with 11 points on 3-for-13 shooting.
Where it turned
Washington won the first quarter 32-28, but Atlanta took the second 38-27 to lead 66-59 at half. A 39-35 third quarter pushed the lead to 105-94 going into the fourth.
The Wizards did not go away. They won the final period 38-34, and ESPN notes they hit 11 of their first 15 threes in the second half on the way to 18-of-34 from deep for the game. But Atlanta shot 52-of-98 overall (53%) and 16-of-38 from three (42%), and the recap singles out a late fourth-quarter corner jumper from Dort, which beat the shot clock, as a crucial basket.
The 139 points were the most Washington has allowed this season, according to ESPN, and the most Atlanta has scored.
Records and absences
Atlanta moved to 6-4 and has won three in a row. ESPN says the Hawks have swept this home-and-home pairing with Washington and lead the season series 2-0; they sit first in the Southeast. Washington falls to 4-5, has lost two straight, and is 1.5 games back in the division.
Both teams were short-handed. Anthony Davis (sprained right ankle) was out for Washington, and Jalen Johnson (left ankle sprain) missed his third straight game for Atlanta.
What's next
Both teams are back on court Saturday: the Wizards play at Oklahoma City, and the Hawks host Brooklyn.
For Washington, the fourth-quarter rally and the 18 made threes show the offence was not the issue. The defence was: the Wizards allowed 139 and, by ESPN's account, Atlanta pushed the pace all night.