Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives past Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ John Bazemore)
ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Kuzma had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Washington Wizards beat the Atlanta Hawks 121-119 on Monday night for their first win this season.
Jordan Poole scored 26 points for Washington, and reserve Corey Kispert had 21 points. The Wizards improved to 1-2 after two one-sided defeats.
Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 29 points. Trae Young, who missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, was limited to 2-for-15 shooting. He finished with 14 points, 13 assists and six turnovers.
The Wizards made a season-high 21 3-pointers and overcame 13 first-half turnovers with a much cleaner second half.
Takeaways
Wizards: Kuzma struggled in his first two outings, but he played a major role in the Wizards’ comeback in the second half before leaving late in the fourth quarter and heading to the locker room.
Hawks: The injury bug has struck Atlanta in the opening week. De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kobe Bufkin and Onyeka Okongwu were unavailable, and Vit Krejci injured his right adductor in the first half.
Key moment
After Kispert made one of two free throws with six seconds remaining and the Wizards leading by two, Young had a chance to give the Hawks the win. He rushed up the court and took a hesitation 3-point shot that was defended by Bilal Coulibaly and was off the mark.
Key stat
No. 2 pick overall pick Alex Sarr had the edge over No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in their first matchup. Sarr, who was booed all night by the crowd after declining to work out for Atlanta during the draft process, had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks for Washington. Risacher, who started in place of Hunter for the second straight game, had four points on 1-of-8 shooting.
Up next
The teams play again in Washington on Wednesday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
By BILL TROCCHI
Associated Press
