The Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 130-126 on Sunday at Capital One Arena and headed into the New Year 1-0. The last time Atlanta played in the nation’s capital, Jalen Johnson fractured his wrist when Kyle Kuzma fouled him on a fast break. The Hawks got their revenge with a victory and dominance from Johnson, Dejounte Murray and Trae Young.
The Wizards started hot from the field, shooting 5-8, as they jumped out to a quick 14-5 advantage. They scored the game’s first seven points unanswered and capitalized on Atlanta’s live-ball turnovers. Kuzma was aggressive from the get-go, hitting three early three’s for 12 quick points. The Hawks started just 2-10 from the field, but Murray and Clint Capela broke the seal on the hoop, connecting in the paint for some easy looks. At one point, Atlanta got six consecutive stops but could not fully capitalize on offense; that ended when Johnson went into attack mode. At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks put together a 13-2 run, spearheaded by Johnson’s emphatic double-clutch slam. Washington led 30-28 heading into the second quarter with Kuzma scoring 15 points, while Young tallied 11.
To start the second frame, Young and Johnson continued to impress. Young drained a three from the parking lot, and Johnson went to the rack with reckless abandon. He tallied three dunks in the second quarter, including slamming home an alley-oop pass that looked too high for him to get. Murray and Saddiq Bey went on a 6-0 run to give the Hawks a 51-45 lead. Murray played lockdown defense on Jordan Poole throughout the contest, limiting his ability to get to the rim. The Wizards shot 1-11 from beyond the arc in the second quarter, as Atlanta extended its advantage to 70-58 with great closing energy. Johnson scored 11 points in the second quarter for 18 points and eight rebounds at halftime, while Young put up 18 and nine assists. Murray also totaled 15 points.
Coming out of halftime, fans saw similar results to the first. Kuzma scored back-to-back buckets, and Johnson and Young kept the offensive engine running for Atlanta. After an incredible run over the past month, Bogdan Bogdanović struggled with his shot in this game. However, Murray led the bench unit brilliantly and took over toward the end of the third frame, getting to the rim with ease after Wizards center Daniel Gafford exited. He led a 15-3 run, highlighted with an acrobatic finish with his left hand for an and-one opportunity. Bogdanović hit a tough fading floater to beat the buzzer and give Atlanta a 100-87 lead heading into the final frame.
In the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, the Hawks kept Washington in their rearview mirror but could not put the Wizards away. Atlanta held a 112-105 lead with five minutes left, but Hawks’ fans were far from comfortable. Murray hit a three with the shot clock draining and Young knocked down a triple from the top of the key to give the Hawks a 123-108 lead with 2:15 left. However, Washington got a four-point play from Tyus Jones, and Atlanta started to miss free throws with a minute left to prolong the game. The Hawks missed seven free throws in the final two minutes but still walked away with the win. Atlanta needs to execute better in crunch time on both sides of the ball if they are to turn this season around.
Young was masterful, dropping 40 points and 13 assists on 11-19 from the field, while his backcourt mate, Murray, totaled a fantastic 30-point night on 13-21 shooting. Johnson totaled a career-high 24 points (9-12 FG) and 13 rebounds, and Capela tallied an 11-point, 17-rebound double-double. Saddiq Bey put up 11 points and 11 boards, and Bogdanovć ended with 12 points on 5-19 shooting.
For Washington, it was the Kyle Kuzma show. He took 31 shots for 38 points, five assists and eight rebounds. Deni Avdija had a 17-point,12-rebound double-double, and Gafford blocked four shots with his 10 points. Jones and Poole scored 14 and 13, respectively, while Corey Kispert dropped 15 points off the bench.
The Hawks ended 2023 with a much-needed victory. They have the opportunity to start the new year with a winning streak on Wednesday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit State Farm Arena.
