WASHINGTON — Bilal Coulibaly delivered an impressive performance, netting a personal best of 27 points as the Washington Wizards defeated the Atlanta Hawks 133-120 on Wednesday night. This victory marked the Wizards’ second win against the Hawks within just three days.

The Wizards completed a home-and-home series sweep, having previously edged out Atlanta 121-119 on Monday. Trae Young shone for the Hawks, contributing 35 points and dishing out 15 assists. However, Washington seized momentum with an electrifying 16-4 scoring run at the outset of the fourth quarter.

The Hawks faced challenges, missing crucial starters including Dyson Daniels (right hip), De’Andre Hunter (right knee), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (right hamstring). On the other side, the Wizards were without starting forward Kyle Kuzma due to right groin issues.

Takeaways:

For the Hawks, Trae Young bounce back remarkably after a difficult shooting performance where he went just 2 for 15 during Monday’s game. Despite amassing 24 points in the first half this time around, the Wizards effectively contained him in the latter half. A struggling and injury-depleted Hawks squad allowed an alarming 76 points during the second half of this encounter.

As for the Wizards, the 20-year-old rookie Coulibaly continues to shine in the early stages of his second season. Following a strong showing with 23 points against Cleveland, he remarkably achieved a new career high just four days later.

Key Moment:

Washington’s surge in the fourth quarter was bolstered by key contributions from Corey Kispert along with rookies Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, who all connected on three-pointers during that pivotal stretch.

Key Stat:

This matchup between the Hawks and Wizards served as a continuation of the rivalry between the top two picks of the 2024 draft. Sarr, selected as the No. 2 pick, outperformed the No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher with a score of 7-4 in their first encounter on Monday. In Wednesday’s game, however, Risacher flipped the script with a notable 17-11 advantage.

Up Next:

The Atlanta Hawks are set to host the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, while the Wizards will take on the Miami Heat on Saturday night in Mexico City.