Hawks Hold Off Wizards 139-132 to Begin NBA Cup Campaign with Victory

The Atlanta Hawks got their NBA Cup campaign off to a winning start after defeating the Washington Wizards 139-132 in an entertaining contest at State Farm Arena on Friday night.

Led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luguentz Dort and Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks produced an impressive offensive display to secure their third consecutive victory and move to 1-0 in East Group C.

Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 28 points, while Dort added 25 points and seven rebounds. Okongwu also made a significant contribution with 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks held off a determined Washington side.

Atlanta started the game slowly, trailing 32-28 after the opening quarter. However, the hosts responded strongly in the second period, scoring 38 points to take a 66-59 lead into halftime.

The Hawks maintained their momentum after the break, adding another 39 points in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 105-94 heading into the final period.

Washington refused to go down without a fight, though. The Wizards increased the pressure in the fourth quarter and came close to turning the game around, cutting Atlanta’s advantage to just three points with 14 seconds remaining.

However, Alexander-Walker and Okongwu delivered from the free-throw line to help the Hawks close out the contest and avoid a late collapse.

Dort was another important contributor, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds, while Dyson Daniels recorded 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.

For Washington, Kyshawn George led all scorers with 33 points, while Tre Johnson contributed 23 points. Former Hawks guard Trae Young also made his return to Atlanta, finishing with 23 points and 10 assists in his first game against his former team since being traded to Washington. However, his eight turnovers proved costly for the visitors.

The defeat was another setback for the Wizards, who struggled to contain Atlanta’s attacking quality despite shooting an impressive 53% from three-point range.

With 139 points, the Hawks recorded their highest-scoring performance of the season, extending their winning streak to three games and making a strong statement in their opening NBA Cup fixture.

Atlanta will now look to carry that momentum into its next game against the Brooklyn Nets, while Washington will aim to bounce back from another disappointing result.