Wizards break through with first win
WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored 28 points, John Wall had 21 points and 10 rebounds and the Washington Wizards entered the win column for the first time this season with a 95-92 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Markieff Morris scored 18 points for the Wizards (1-3), who never trailed in the second half but couldn't put away the Hawks until the final seconds. Washington avoided its first 0-4 start since opening the 2012-13 season with 12 straight losses.
Dwight Howard had his fourth double-double in five games with 20 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta (3-2). Dennis Schroder also scored 20 points and Paul Millsap added 16.
Kyle Korver air-balled a potential tying 3-pointer, giving Washington possession with 3.6 seconds remaining. The Wizards ran out the clock on the subsequent inbounds pass.
The Hawks lost for the first time this season on Wednesday because their defense didn't show up in the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-116 win. Offensive woes also resulted in their second straight setback.
Atlanta started 1 of 13 from the field, shot a dismal 28.9 percent in the first half and finished at 38.6 percent for the game against Washington. Korver missed five of six 3-point attempts and went 1 of 9 overall.
Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Wizards. Beal set career highs by hitting 13 of 14 free throws.
Wall had six assists. He needs five to break the franchise record set by Basketball Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld (3,822), who retired in 1981.
Millsap scored 28 points in Atlanta's 114-99 win over Washington on Oct. 27 as the Hawks outscored the Wizards 33-19 in the fourth quarter.
The Wizards took control with a 29-16 second quarter for a 48-35 halftime lead. Morris scored all 14 of his first-half points in the quarter.
Washington pushed the margin to 16 in the third quarter before Atlanta chipped away. Malcolm Delaney's 3-pointer capped a 9-0 Hawks run, cutting the lead to 78-76 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Hawks' reserves outscored their counterparts 33-8 and yet the Wizards received needed support after their second unit labored on both ends of the court in the three losses. With rookie guard Tomas Satoransky receiving his most extended playing time during the young season, the backups held serve during a stretch overlapping the first and second quarter before the starters returned.
NOTES: Wizards F Markieff Morris was acquired from the Suns at the 2016 NBA trading deadline from the Suns in a trade that sent current Hawks F Kris Humphries to Phoenix. ... Atlanta entered Friday ranked second in the NBA with 28.3 assists per game. ... C Dwight Howard faces his former team Saturday as Atlanta hosts the Houston Rockets. Howard spent the previous three seasons with the Western Conference team. ... Washington plays at the Orlando Magic on Saturday before returning for a three-game homestand. The Wizards have won 12 straight over the Magic. Their last loss in the series occurred March 29, 2013. ... The Hawks and Wizards face off for the third of their four regular-season meetings on Jan. 27 in Atlanta.