Wizards-Hawks Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Dec 06 2012 1:18PM

After suffering for almost a month without a win, the Washington Wizards have enjoyed some success lately. Based on their most recent visit to Atlanta, they now might have a good chance to end another pair of droughts.

The Wizards look for the first victory away from home and try to avoid a 10th straight road defeat to the Hawks on Friday night.

Washington (2-13) opened with a franchise-record 12 consecutive losses but has since won two of three - both at home.

The most recent victory was particularly surprising, beating Miami 105-101 on Tuesday to end the defending champion's six-game win streak. Jordan Crawford scored 22 points and Kevin Seraphin added 16 with 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who matched a season high by shooting 48.1 percent and never trailed in the final three quarters.

"It's a big momentum win for us, obviously," point guard Shaun Livingston said. "We've been struggling to put together four quarters."

Though the Wizards still own the NBA's worst record, average a league-low 90.4 points and are not sure when injured star John Wall (knee) will make his season debut, their recent progress has been a long time coming as far as the team is concerned.

"It basically just shows how good of a team we are, how good we can be. That's the main thing," said Crawford, averaging 19.3 points in four games since being moved back into a reserve role.

The next step for Washington is to find success on the road, where at 0-7 it joins Sacramento as the NBA's only winless teams away from home. However, four of those losses have been by six points or fewer and two went to overtime, including a 101-100 defeat in Atlanta on Nov. 21.

The Hawks took the lead with 1.9 seconds left in overtime on Kyle Korver's long 3-pointer, but the Wizards thought they earned their first win when Martell Webster made a layup as the buzzer sounded. One official initially ruled the basket was good, but the crew conferred and ruled it was late, a call that was later confirmed by video review.

Washington lost its previous eight visits to Atlanta by an average of 13.0 points. The Wizards last won there Jan. 11, 2008, going 1-16 overall against the Hawks since that victory.

Seraphin had a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in last month's matchup and enters Friday having posted three straight double-doubles.

Teammate Trevor Ariza had his only double-double of the season in that game with 12 points and 15 boards off the bench, but he is likely to miss this one with a calf injury.

Korver could return for Atlanta (10-5), which has won seven of eight, after missing one contest due to back spasms and Wednesday's home game versus Denver with his wife about to give birth.

The Hawks still beat the Nuggets 108-104 as Al Horford had 25 points with 12 rebounds and Josh Smith added 16 and 13.

While Atlanta allowed 100 points in consecutive games for the first time this season, it made some key stops down the stretch to bounce back from a 113-111 home loss to Cleveland last Friday.

"Hopefully we can just build from this game," coach Larry Drew said. "I'm just happy that we pushed through it. The difference was we kept pushing. We didn't break. We didn't bend."

Smith, who turned 27 on Wednesday, has averaged 22.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in his last six games versus Washington.

Josh Smith, Hawks hold off Wizards, 104-95

By CHARLES ODUM
Posted Dec 07 2012 11:31PM

ATLANTA (AP) Larry Drew is waiting for the Hawks to develop a knockout punch.

In the meantime, the coach isn't complaining as Atlanta continues to win the close games.

Josh Smith had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Al Horford also posted a double-double and the Hawks beat Washington 104-95 on Friday night to keep the Wizards winless on the road.

The Hawks led by 18 in the third quarter before Washington twice cut the lead to two points in the final period.

"I think when we got the big lead we got a little complacent," Drew said. "We have to develop a killer instinct. Tonight, we didn't have it. We didn't do it."

Drew acknowledged it's not such a bad thing to have to learn how to play with big leads.

"It's something that you develop," he said. "It's something that just doesn't come overnight. I have all the confidence in our guys that we will develop."

Horford had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won eight of nine, including only two by more than 10 points. The Hawks are third in the Eastern Conference and only one-half game behind Southeast Division leader Miami.

Smith and Horford have shared the lead in a newly balanced scoring attack for Hawks, who traded All-Star Joe Johnson to the Nets in the offseason.

The Wizards, who had won two of three following their 0-12 start, fell to 0-8 in road games. Two of those road losses came in Atlanta, including a 101-100 overtime loss to the Hawks on Nov. 21.

Kevin Seraphin had 19 points and Bradley Beal had 18 for Washington, which could not build on its 105-101 win over defending champion Miami on Tuesday night.

The Hawks closed with a 20-13 run after the Wizards cut Atlanta's lead to 84-82.

"This is a game of runs," Smith said. "Teams are going to make runs. Despite their record, they are a pretty good team. I don't care what anybody says. They had a convincing win against the Miami Heat, so they're feeling confident right now. They have a groove going."

Smith said the key was the Hawks answered Washington's surge.

"They made a run," Smith said. "Every team is going to make a run, but as long as we stop the runs and get wins in closes games, I think that's the most important part."

Jeff Teague had 19 points and DeShawn Stevenson made five 3-pointers for 15 points for Atlanta.

Atlanta's last big lead of 18 points came at 70-52. Washington closed the third period with a hook shot by Seraphin and a 3-pointer from Beal to pull to 80-71. The Wizards kept the momentum in the opening minutes and got within two at 84-82 on Seraphin's 15-foot jumper.

Horford answered with back-to-back baskets. Washington again cut the lead to two points at 91-89 but couldn't complete the comeback.

"We didn't trust again," said Wizards coach Randy Wittman. "We quit running and moving the ball, started holding and dribbling and didn't trust what we were doing."

Added Beal: "We got back to the old Wizards instead of the team that we know we can be."

Wittman complained the Wizards "got dominated on the boards." Smith and Horford helped the Hawks claim a 47-32 advantage in rebounds and a 22-10 edge in second-chance points.

"We had the time. We had the chance," Seraphin said. "In the last two minutes we just didn't make the shots. We should have executed more."

The Hawks, who rank sixth in fewest points allowed, have been winning with defense. They are the league's only team to not allow an opponent to shoot 50 percent in a game this season.

Atlanta continued the streak of strong defense, holding the Wizards to 45.6-percent shooting.

Stevenson and Devin Harris, who had 15 points, set season scoring highs. Teague and Harris each had six assists.

"Their guards totally dominated us tonight," Wittman said.

Jordan Crawford had 14 points but made only 5 of 13 shots.

Washington's last lead was 10-9.

NOTES: Wizards F Trevor Ariza (strained left calf) did not play. He suffered the injury in Tuesday night's win over Miami. ... F Martell Webster had only 5 points as he started ahead of Seraphin, whose streak of three straight double-doubles ended. ... Hawks G Kyle Korver (back spasms) missed his third straight game. Korver and his wife Juliet celebrated the birth of their first child, Kyra Elyse, this week. Korver will not be with the team for Saturday's game at Memphis due to the back problem but may return later in the three-game road trip. ... Stevenson's third 3-pointer was the 500th of his career. ... Horford posted his fourth straight double-double.

Notebook: Hawks 104, Wizards 95

Jonathan Cooper, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:50 PM - Updated Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:50 PM

THE FACTS: There's no such thing as an easy win in the NBA.

The Atlanta Hawks learned that Friday night at Philips Arena, as they nearly squandered 16 points of an 18-point lead before holding off the Washington Wizards, 104-95.

Hawks forward and Wizards killer Josh Smith did what he seems to always do to Washington, scoring a game-high 23 points and grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds. Eight of Smith's points came in a late 10-2 surge that finally put away the stubborn Wizards. The win was the tenth straight for the Hawks (11-5) over the Wizards (2-14) at Philips Arena and gave Atlanta its eighth win in nine games.

Smith got plenty of help, as all five Hawks starters scored at least 14 points, and the starting back court of Jeff Teague and Devin Harris combined for 34 points and 12 assists. Center Al Horford added 14 points and 14 rebounds and DeShawn Stevenson had a season-high 15, as he hit a game-high five threes.

Kevin Seraphin, who went for 21 and 10 the last time the teams met at Philips Arena, only 16 days ago, led the Wizards with 19 points and seven rebounds. Bradley Beal added 18 points for the Wizards, who were attempting to create a winning streak coming off their stunning win over the Miami Heat in their last game.

Atlanta used a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to build a double-digit lead, which they carried into the second half and built to 18 with four minutes gone in the third. Washington never quit and cut the lead to nine after three and to two on on two occasions in the fourth quarter. But each time the Hawks answered, the first time with a Horford putback and then, with four minutes left, on a Teague free throw and Smith's mini-run.

QUOTABLE: "This is a game of runs. Teams are going to make runs. Despite their record they're a pretty good team to me."
-- Josh Smith on the Hawks letting an 18-point lead shrink to two.

THE STAT: 22-10 second-chance Points: The Hawks' commitment on the glass led to their domination in second-chance points. Atlanta allowed Washington seven offensive rebounds the entire game, and only one in the first quarter as they broke out to a double-digit lead, which allowed them to play downhill for most of the game. That one offensive rebound came from Chris Singleton in the second minute of the game and led to a score that gave Washington a brief 4-2 lead. Not coincidentally, a Horford putback was a back-breaker midway through the fourth.

TURNING POINT: Washington guard Beal hit two free throws with 1:06 left in the half to complete a Wizards' 7-0 run, shrinking Atlanta's lead to 46-40. But former Wizard DeShawn Stevenson hit a pair of threes, 22 seconds apart and Zaza Pachulia tipped an offensive rebound to Teague for a layup with .8 seconds left. Atlanta's 8-1 response gave the Hawks a 13-point edge at the half.

QUOTABLE II: "I'm just getting in the right spots and I've got to give it up to Teague and Devin Harris. They're always looking for me and when I'm open like that, just knock them down."
-- Atlanta forward Stevenson.

HOT: Stevenson hit four threes in five attempts in a little over four minutes ending the first half and starting the second, that helped the Hawks extend a six-point lead to 18. His two in the final minute of the half grabbed momentum back for Atlanta, while his two at the beginning of the second half, coming in a 1:37 span, helped break the game open.

HOT: Washington center Seraphin shook off a slow start and caught fire in the second half, hitting six of his eight shots, including going 4-for-5 in the final 12 minutes. He started the fourth quarter scoring six straight points as the Wizards whittled Atlanta's lead to a field goal and had nine of 11 at one point, keeping Washington around.

NOT: Teague and Harris, who were instrumental in Atlanta building its first-half lead, both went cold in the final 24 minutes. Harris, who had 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, 2-for-3 from three in the first half struggled in the second, scoring four points, while shooting 1-of-6 and going 0-for-5 from behind the arc, while Teague, who had 12 points on 6-for-14 shooting, had five points, going 2-for-8, 0-for-2 from three.

GOOD MOVE: Hawks coach Larry Drew moved Smith to small forward in the fourth quarter to take advantage of Washington's smaller threes, Cartier Martin and Martell Webster. Smith scored nine fourth-quarter points and grabbed four rebounds, including a pair of offensive rebounds.

NOTABLE: Stevenson hit the 500th three-point field goal of his career with 31.8 seconds remaining in the half...The Hawks handed out 23 assists, making it 15 times in 16 games that they've had at least 20 assists...Horford had his fourth straight double-double and is averaging 17.4 points and 11.1 rebounds while shooting .553 over his last seven games...Washington's bench outscored Atlanta's 53-18, with three reserves, Seraphin, former Hawk Jordan Crawford and Shaun Livingston, each scoring in double figures. Beal was the only Wizards starter to score more than 10...Atlanta outscored Washington 48-32 in the paint and 16-10 on fast break points...Harris is averaging 13.3 points on .577 shooting in the three games since being named a starter.

UP NEXT: For the Wizards, Saturday vs. Golden State, Tuesday @ New Orleans, Wednesday @ Houston. For the Hawks, Saturday @ Memphis, Monday @ Miami, Wednesday @ Orlando.

• Wizards: Booker, Wall
• Hawks: Scott

• Wizards: --
• Hawks: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #15 Bennett Salvatore, #29 Mark Lindsay, #72 J.T. Orr
• Attendance: 13067
• Duration: 2:06