WASHINGTON — Trae Young had 26 points and 10 assists and the Atlanta Hawks handed the Washington Wizards their ninth consecutive loss, 136-108 on Saturday night.
Atlanta had lost three of four entering this game, but the Hawks had no trouble with the rebuilding Wizards. They went on a 10-2 run to take a 70-58 halftime lead and were up by 29 after three quarters.
“It just shows that we’re getting more comfortable with what we’re doing,” Young said. “It’s good to lead from wire to wire like that and come out with a big victory.”
Washington (2-14) fell into a tie with Detroit for the NBA’s worst record. The Pistons host the Wizards on Monday night. Washington turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 27 Atlanta points.
“The energy in the building was down,” Wizards guard Landry Shamet said. “That’s when you got to be able to create some energy for yourself. We never did that.”
Washington was without guard Jordan Poole, who was out with left ankle soreness. The Hawks lost Jalen Johnson to a left wrist injury after he scored eight points in just 8:28 of playing time.
The Hawks and Wizards are among the fastest-paced teams in the league. In fact, Atlanta had scored 299 points in its previous two games, a loss to Indiana and an overtime win over Brooklyn. By that standard, the Hawks’ 34-30 lead after the first quarter over Washington was tame.
Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) shoots and scores against Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. Credit: AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta
It was still close when Atlanta began to pull away at the end of the second quarter. Young and De’Andre Hunter made back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a 12-point game at the half. The Hawks then outscored the Wizards by 17 in the third and led by as many as 36 in the fourth.
Atlanta was able to substitute liberally in the fourth quarter. This game was the start of a five-game road trip and…
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