Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 28 points, Luguentz Dort added 20 of his 25 after halftime and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the visiting Washington Wizards 139-132 on Friday night to spoil Trae Young’s return.
Onyeka Okongwu added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Dyson Daniels had 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds as Atlanta won its third straight as well as its opening game in NBA Cup East Group C.
Aaron Wiggins scored 19 points off the bench in the Hawks’ first home game against Young since trading the four-time All-Star to Washington for Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum in January.
Atlanta recorded 38 assists on 52 field goals while posting an NBA-leading seventh game with at least 30 assisted baskets.
Kyshawn George scored 33 points for the Wizards to finish a point shy of his career high.
His last basket, a made 3-pointer off an inbounds, cut it to 135-132 with 14 seconds remaining, before Alexander-Walker and Okongwu each sank two free throws to seal it.
Young had 23 points and 10 assists — but also eight turnovers — as Washington fell to 1-1 in NBA Cup play. Tre Johnson also scored 23 points.
Wizards center Anthony Davis sat out with a sprained right ankle after playing through soreness on Wednesday.
For the Hawks, All-Star forward Jalen Johnson (left ankle) missed his third straight game, and Asa Newell (left big toe) remained out after leaving Wednesday’s contest early.
Washington erased an early 10-point deficit and led by four at the end of the first quarter, but Atlanta scored 38 points in the second and 39 in the third to take control.
The Hawks stretched their lead to a game-high 14 points late in the third on a 6-0 spurt, with Zuby Ejiofor’s dunk from CJ McCollum’s driving feed making it 105-91.
Washington cut it to seven twice in the fourth, then got within 124-123 after Geroge’s 3-pointer bounded around and through the rim and Young followed with three free throws.
McCollum answered with a pair of free throws, and Dort sank a contested fadeaway from 25 feet to make it 129-123 with 2:36 left.
