Wizards-Hawks Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Nov 20 2012 5:52PM

Coach Randy Wittman remains optimistic while trying to find the answers to help the Washington Wizards end the worst start in franchise history.

A visit to Atlanta might not provide the solution Washington needs to finally win a game.

The Wizards can avoid a 10th straight loss to open the season if they snap an eight-game road skid to the Hawks on Wednesday night.

While Washington (0-9) is the league's only winless team and halfway to matching the 2009-10 Nets' NBA-record 0-18 start, Wittman is trying to remain confident one year after the squad started 0-8.

"I believe these guys can win," said Wittman, whose team's average margin of defeat is 7.7 points. "I don't have any doubts. ... I come in here every day, thinking this is the night.

"This group should be winning games. We've got to get them to believe that themselves. That's my job."

Wittman continues to rack his brain on how to improve a team which ranks last in the NBA in scoring (86.9 points per game) and shooting (39.9 percent) without injured starters John Wall and Nene. It's uncertain when those two will make their season debuts, leaving Wittman even more baffled when it comes to deciding on his starting lineup and rotation.

Those choices could get harder Wednesday if forward Trevor Booker is out after suffering a knee injury in Monday's 96-89 home loss to Indiana. Rookie reserve Bradley Beal had 18 points, but Washington's starters shot 8 for 37 (22.0 percent) and combined for 31 points - one fewer than Indiana's David West scored.

"I don't know who to start, who to play, who not to play," Wittman said. "I'll toss another group out there and we'll see if we can't find a group that starts off well. I'm going to keep trying.

"I'm just searching right now, searching for people to give me consistency."

A loss Wednesday would make Washington the 13th team in NBA history to start 0-10. Based on the Wizards' recent history in Atlanta, there's a good chance they'll join that group.

Losers in 15 of 16 overall to the Hawks, the Wizards have averaged 88.8 points while dropping eight in a row at Atlanta by an average margin of 13.0. Washington's last victory there came Jan. 11, 2008.

The Hawks (5-4) will try for a season-high third straight victory after they mustered enough energy for an 81-72 win over Orlando on Monday in their return home from splitting a four-game trip. Al Horford had 15 points and Lou Williams added 14 as Atlanta prevailed despite shooting a season-low 38.2 percent.

"We just had to get our energy flowing," forward Josh Smith said. "It took longer than expected, but a win's a win."

Smith averaged 18.0 points and 9.7 rebounds in the previous three games but was one of the many Hawks who struggled to find his legs, finishing with season lows of six points and two boards. He's averaged 21.4 and 11.2, respectively, in his last five games versus Washington.

Jordan Crawford, who tops the Wizards with 12.2 points per game, scored 20 in a 95-92 home loss to the Hawks on March 24 in the teams' most recent meeting. That came after he totaled seven points on 2-of-15 shooting in two trips to Atlanta last season.

Korver, Hawks beat winless Wizards, 101-100 in OT

By CHARLES ODUM
Posted Nov 22 2012 1:34AM

ATLANTA (AP) Kyle Korver hit a long 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime and the Atlanta Hawks beat Washington 101-100, extending the Wizards' franchise-worst start to 0-10.

Korver, who had 16 points, hit his fifth 3-pointer after Kevin Seraphin's baseline jumper gave Washington a 100-98 lead.

Following Korver's shot, Seraphin missed a hook shot. Martell Webster rebounded the miss for Washington under the basket and scored on a layup as the buzzer sounded.

One official initially ruled the basket was good. The officials crew then conferred and ruled the basket was late. They confirmed the call with a video review.

The Wizards became only the 13th team in NBA history to open a season with 10 straight losses, according to STATS LLC. The 2009-10 New Jersey Nets had the worst start in NBA history at 0-18.

Seraphin led Washington with 21 points and 10 rebounds. A.J. Price had 14 points.

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 25 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in overtime. Al Horford had 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Devin Harris had 13.

With Washington leading 98-96 in the extra period, Horford missed two free throws with 22.3 seconds remaining, but the Hawks retained possession with the Wizards knocked the second miss out of bounds. DeShawn Stevenson inbounded the ball to Horford, who scored on a layup to pull the Hawks even with 19.5 seconds remaining.

Washington center Nene had 12 points in his season debut, though he didn't start. He missed the first nine games with a left foot injury. Trevor Ariza had also had 12 points for the Wizards, including a 3-pointer in overtime.

With Washington leading 87-86, Nene stripped the ball from Smith, setting up a layup by Price which pushed the lead to three points. A layup by Teague cut the Wizards' lead to 89-88. Horford missed a jumper for Atlanta. Nene made one of two free throws with 10.3 seconds, giving Washington a 90-88 lead.

Nene fouled Harris with 3.7 seconds remaining. Harris made both free throws to tie the game at 90-all. Shaun Livingston missed a 3-pointer to force the overtime.

There were 10 lead changes in the first half. The Hawks led 50-47 at the break and stretched the lead to 11 points at 66-55 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Korver. The Wizards answered with nine straight points, seven on free throws.

Atlanta led 68-66 entering the fourth quarter.

Korver was fouled by Webster while making a 3-pointer from the corner to open the final period. Korver made the free throw to complete the four-point play.

NOTES: The Hawks paid a halftime tribute to former star forward Dan Roundfield, who played for the Pistons, Indiana, Atlanta and Washington. Roundfield was 59 when he drowned on Aug. 6 while helping his wife, Bernie, in rough water near Aruba. Roundfield's wife and other family members attended the ceremony. ... Horford made only 1 of 10 free throws. ... Wizards F Trevor Booker was held out with a strained right knee. ... Wizards rookie Bradley Beal fouled out in the first minute of overtime with six points and four assists. ... Hawks coach Larry Drew said a flu virus that went through the team no longer is an issue. ... The Hawks have won nine straight over the Wizards in Atlanta. Washington's last win at Philips Arena was on Jan. 11, 2008.

Notebook: Hawks 101, Wizards 100, OT

Matt Winkeljohn, For NBA.com
Posted Thu Nov 22, 2012 12:12 AM - Updated Thu Nov 22, 2012 12:33 AM

THE FACTS: The Wizards led by two points with less than four seconds left both in regulation and in overtime Wednesday night, but Kyle Korver's 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in OT gave the Hawks a 101-100 win to leave Washington 0-10.

Moments after Korver's 25-footer, Martell Webster appeared to score the game-winner for Washington only to have officials wave off the shot. Video replay confirmed that his shot left his hand a split-second after time expired.

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 25 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in OT, and Korver made five 3-pointers on the way to scoring 16 as the Hawks (6-4) won their third straight and beat Washington for the ninth straight time in Philips Arena. Korver's other point came when he converted a four-point play by making a free throw after being fouled on a trey in the third quarter.

Hawks center Al Horford just missed a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, but he missed 9 of his 10 free throw attempts. Wizards center Kevin Seraphin scored a season-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in place of Emeka Okafor. In his first game off the bench, Trevor Ariza scored 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as the Wizards outrebounded the Hawks 58-37 and scored 16 second-chance points to Atlanta's six. Nene played for the first time this season for Washington after battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and scored 12 points off the bench.

Atlanta forced overtime when guard Devin Harris made two free throws with 3.7 seconds left in overtime.

QUOTABLE: "I was telling myself I couldn't leave another one on the front of the rim . . . It was a gut check for us. We could have lost that game three or four times."

-- Kyle Korver

THE STAT: 4-0. The Hawks were outscored 16-2 in second-chance points in regulation, but turned that to a 4-0 edge in overtime.

TURNING POINTS: Both Atlanta's second-chance baskets in overtime came after Horford twice missed a pair at the free throw line, only to see the Wizards fail to capitalize -- or grab the rebound.

When Horford missed two with 1:05 left, DeShawn Stevenson -- who'd subbed in 28 seconds earlier when Smith fouled out -- grabbed the offensive rebound. That led to a seven-foot turnaround jumper by Jeff Teague that pulled Atlanta to within 98-96 with 56 seconds left.

The score was the same when Horford missed two more with 20.4 seconds left. As Korver battled Ariza for the rebound, Ariza tipped it out of bounds. Stevenson found Horford with a crisp pass to tie the game at 98 with 19.5 to go. After a timeout, Horford lost track of Seraphin, who made an 18-foot jumper with 7.3 seconds left for a 100-98 Washington lead. Atlanta did not have a timeout, and moved quickly up court. As Ariza struggled to fight around a screen by Harris, Korver had the space to get off his game-winner near the top of the arc.

QUOTABLE II: "We gave up two offensive rebounds that hurt us late . . . At first, [officials] counted [Webster's shot], and then came back and said it's not good. I don't know how they can do that. Our video shows that it was good. Obviously, there must be two different videos." -- Randy Wittman on Webster's shot -- which came after he grabbed an airball by Seraphin.

HOT: Horford scored eight straight points in the first quarter, but missed 9 of his next 11 shots over the next three quarters before making his only shot in overtime. . . . Korver's five 3-pointers tied his season high, set Nov. 16 at Sacramento. His career high is seven, against Indiana on Nov. 12, 2004, when he played for the 76ers. . . . Teague did not have a turnover in 45:41 played.

NOT: Ariza made just 2 of his 14 shots in regulation before hitting his only shot -- a 3-pointer -- in overtime.

NOTABLE: Smith's double-double for the Hawks was the 182nd of his career, moving him alone into fourth place in franchise history. He trails Kevin Willis (340), Dan Roundfield (246) and Walt Bellamy (213). Dikembe Mutombo had 181. ... The Wizards were again without point guard John Wall (stress injury in left patella), and starting forward Trevor Booker was out after straining his right knee Monday against the Pacers. ... Washington point guard Shaun Livingston, signed as a free agent on Nov. 15, made his first start in his third game back with the Wizards. He had two points and four assists as A.J. Price moved into a reserve role. ... With 14 points off the bench, Price now has 1,006 in his career. ... Lou Williams has been big off the bench late in games for the Hawks this season, but he did not play in overtime and missed his only shot in 3:00 of playing time in the fourth quarter. ... Four of the five Wizards to score in double figures came off the bench, Seraphin being the exception. Washington's bench outscored Atlanta's 62-18. Hawks starters outscored Washington's 83-38.

QUOTABLE III: "This morning, I really didn't have a good feeling about [this game]. I really believe in my heart that this Washington Wizards team is better than their record indicates. ... It was just a matter of me trying to convince my group that this was probably going to be one of the hardest games that we've played so far this year."

-- Hawks coach Larry Drew

UP NEXT: For the Wizards, Saturday vs. Bobcats, Monday vs. Spurs, Wednesday vs. Blazers. For the Hawks, Friday @ Bobcats, Saturday vs. Clippers, Wednesday vs. Bobcats.

• Wizards: Booker, Wall
• Hawks: Petro

• Wizards: --
• Hawks: --

• Lead Changes: 20
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #6 Tony Brown, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 11338
• Duration: 2:39