Nickeil Alexander-Walker erupted for 28 points on Friday night, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a wild 139-132 victory over the Washington Wizards in an NBA Cup game. This wasn’t just any win, either. It was the Hawks’ third straight victory, and their second in a row against the Wizards, completely sweeping that home-and-home series. Atlanta’s offense was absolutely on fire, hitting a season-high 139 points. You read that right, a season-high!
Hawks Offense Is Red Hot, Even With Trae Young On The Other Side
That 139-point outburst was no fluke. The Hawks were pushing the pace all night, and their shooting numbers back it up: 53% from the field (52 for 98) and a smoking 42% from beyond the arc (16 for 38). Alexander-Walker was the star, but he had plenty of help. Lu Dort chipped in 25 points, including a crucial, shot clock-beating corner jumper late in the fourth quarter. Onyeka Okongwu dropped 22 points, and Aaron Wiggins came off the bench for a solid 19 points. Dyson Daniels put up 13 points and 12 assists, doing a great job guarding Trae Young for most of the game.
Speaking of Trae Young, it was a strange night for him. This was his first game back in Atlanta as a visitor after being traded last season, ending his seven-plus years with the Hawks. He still managed 23 points and 10 assists, but also had a season-high eight turnovers. You know he wanted that win against his old squad, but the Hawks had other plans. Jalen Johnson was out with a left ankle sprain, missing his third straight game, but clearly, the team found a way to step up without him.
Wizards Couldn’t Stop The Bleeding, But George Was Balling
On the other side, the Washington Wizards had a rough night defensively. Surrendering 139 points is a season-high for them, and it shows. They were without Anthony Davis, who’s nursing a sprained right ankle, and that clearly hurt their ability to slow down Atlanta. Despite the defensive struggles, the Wizards offense kept them in it, especially from deep. They hit 11 of their first 15 three-pointers in the second half, finishing the game shooting 53% from three (18 for 34).
Kyshawn George was a bright spot for Washington, absolutely going off for 33 points. Tre Johnson added 23 points, including five 3-pointers of his own. Even overall No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa had 11 points, though he struggled a bit with his shot, going 3-for-13. They fought, but in the end, they just couldn’t contain the Hawks’ relentless attack.
What’s next? The Wizards will be on the road again, heading to Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Hawks get to enjoy their winning streak at home, hosting the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Can they keep this scoring rampage going? You know Atlanta fans will be ready!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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