WASHINGTON — The last time the Washington Wizards faced relentless ball pressure came two weeks ago when they tallied 23 turnovers in a 112-102 loss to the Toronto Raptors. In a season of growth, it appears the young Wizards have more to learn.
The Wizards struggled to crack that physical defense in their 120-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Anthony Davis, as he’d done in each of the last two games, dominated the first quarter. He scored 10 points behind a lethal mid-range game. But Washington’s poor perimeter defense allowed the Hawks to shoot 50% from three in a quarter it lost 37-32.
Trae Young opened the second quarter with two turnovers that led to easy Hawks buckets and prompted a Brian Keefe timeout. Keefe’s adjustments went unnoticed as Washington’s offense remained stagnant. The Hawks opened a 16-point lead, which would’ve grown larger if not for Young’s shot creation and Davis’ shotmaking.
The veteran duo combined for 29 first-half points. But behind 50% shooting from three, the Hawks took a 68-61 advantage into halftime.
