WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta held NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal to a season-low in points, and Trae Young’s 41 helped the Hawks top the Wizards 116-100 Friday night in a game that saw Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and Robin Lopez all get ejected.
The subject of trade speculation, Beal came in averaging 35.4 points for a last-place Wizards team that has been short-handed because of COVID-19 issues, recently had a half-dozen games in a row postponed and is now 3-12.
Beal missed all eight attempts from 3-point range Friday, entered the fourth quarter with just 13 points and finished with 26 after the result was no longer in the balance.
John Collins added 17 points for Atlanta, which led by as many as 23 and improved to 10-9.
Beal drew one of no fewer than six techs whistled on Washington. Westbrook, who scored 26 points but repeatedly jawed with Rondo, and Lopez each drew a pair and were sent to the locker room in the second half. Rondo was ejected in the fourth quarter after his second technical of the game.
Things started ugly for both teams: They combined to miss 27 of their first 36 shots — a make rate of 25%.
They combined to miss 14 of their initial 15 tries from 3-point range — a shooting percentage of 6.7%.
The Wizards are 0-4 since returning from a series of postponements left them without a game for 13 days. Six players tested positive for COVID-19, and another three were sidelined after contact tracing.
Rui Hachimura, Davis Bertans and Moe Wagner returned for Washington on Friday. None had played since Jan. 11.
Washington coach Scott Brooks said there is a “great chance” rookie Deni Avdija, Troy Brown Jr. and Ish Smith can return for Washington's next game.
TIP-INS
Hawks: De'Andre Hunter left in the first half with an injured right knee. He had six points and two rebounds in 12 minutes. ... Rondo entered as a substitute late in the first quarter and hit his only shot of the period — a 3 in the final second — to give Atlanta a 31-22 edge. ... Clint Capela's 14 rebounds gave him 14 straight games with at least 10.
Wizards: Westbrook's four assists raised his total to 7,394 and moved him past Maurice Cheeks (7,392) for 13th on the NBA career list. ... Washington missed its first six field-goal attempts and finished 31 for 85, which is 36.5%.
T 'EM UP!
Westbrook and Rondo were separated by an official and both assessed technical fouls with a minute left in the first half, which ended with Atlanta leading 61-50 on a 3-pointer by Cam Reddish at the buzzer. ... Beal got a tech in the third quarter, upset after no foul was called when he took a hard fall at the offensive end. Soon after, he was jawing back-and-forth with Rondo, who was on the Atlanta sideline and not in the game at the time. ... Lopez was out of the game in the third quarter when Beal was called for a delay of game before attempting a free throw. A medical mask pulled down below his nose and mouth, Lopez said something to an official that prompted his one-after-the-other techs,
SHALOM, FANS!
After making Avdija the highest-drafted Israeli in NBA history, the Wizards have opened a team website in Hebrew and an Israeli Instagram account, to go along with an Israeli Twitter account they started before the start of this season.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Open a four-game homestand Monday against LeBron James and the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Wizards: Host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, when Washington's roster finally could be close to complete again.
