[ad_1]
In the Washington Wizards’ first game at Capital One Arena since Jan.11, Rui Hachimura, Davis Bertans and Moe Wagner all returned from the covid list. Even with reinforcements, the Wizards fell to the Atlanta Hawks 116–100. After accumulating 47 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Bradley Beal had as many faults as he had points (two) midway through the first quarter; Beal didn’t score his first basket until 7:52 from the first.
With Beal held to just four points in Game 1, it was Russell Westbrook who led the scorecard with seven after 12. Although their leading scorer was silent early in the game, the Wizards started the breakout 31–22. . Neither team shot the ball well in the first – Washington was 8-25 on the field, Atlanta was 9-24.
In his home debut, Maryland product Alex Len had nine points off the bench, including two dunks handed in early in the second. After the Wizards made the game competitive with a run of 8–2, the Hawks countered, attacking 9–3 and forcing a timeout from Scott Brooks. As half-time approached, the Wizards reduced the lead to six, 49–43, after Westbrook blasted through several disputed defenders for two, going from coast to coast. But the second quarter was punctuated by verbal fights between Westbrook and Atlanta goalkeeper Rajon Rondo, who ended the night with eight points, four assists and would later be sent off.
Down 11, the Wizards worked to reduce the lead, but after a hard hit non-appeal on Beal, the game started to spiral out of control. Robin Lopez received a double technical fault and was sent off from the match.
After making his first free throw of the night, the Hawks kept the NBA’s leading scorer just three points in the frame – Beal averaged 13.4 points in third this season. After 36 minutes, Westbrook had 26 points, a season and team high, but the home team fell behind 89–71.
With Rondo proving a pest all night long, Westbrook let the itchy guard get under his skin and was kicked out at 10:18 am of the fourth. With Westbrook out and Beal sitting at 13 points the season low, it looked grim for Washington. A run of 11–0 in the later stages favored the Wizards, and they even managed to get under 10 of the visitors. However, Trae Young’s back-to-back lines ended the Wizards’ hopes of a return and froze the game, dropping the Wizards to 3–12. Young scored a high of 41 points.
Next up for Washington is a home encounter with the Brooklyn Nets, which the Wizards defeated 123-122 earlier this month, although the Nets have yet to have James Harden.
[ad_2]
Source link