2025 NBA Cup: Wizards sweep Hawks to avoid elimination, ending 14-game losing skid
The Washington Wizards’ losing streak is over.
The Wizards managed to fend off elimination from the NBA Cup on Tuesday night by picking up what is only their second win of the season. Washington earned a stunning 132-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Capital One Arena. This marked the franchise’s first win in more than a month and first home win since last April.
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The Wizards walked out of the gate and never looked back. They opened the game on an 18-2 run, and then outscored the Hawks 45-23 in the first period to immediately take a huge lead.
The Wizards also went a perfect 8-for-8 from behind the arc as a group in the first 12 minutes, thanks to four 3-pointers made by both CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. This was the longest streak of 3-pointers made since the start of a game in Wizards franchise history, and the longest streak at any point in the league since 2023.
McCollum entered halftime with 27 points after scoring three more from behind the arc, which helped give them a 20-point lead at the break. From then on the rest was easy. The Wizards pushed their lead to 33 points late in the third, and then cruised to a 19-point victory.
Kristaps Porzingis led the Hawks with 22 points and eight rebounds, and Onyeka Okongwu had 20 points off the bench. The Hawks now sit at 11-8 on the year and just 1-2 in NBA Cup play, though they still have a nice edge over the Wizards in point differential. They had won seven of their last nine games even in Tuesday’s loss.
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McCollum finished with 46 points on 10 3-pointers in the win. Alex Sarr added with 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Kispert scored 19 points. He left the game early due to an apparent thumb injury, although no further details are yet known.
The Wizards now hold a 2-15 record and are also 1-2 in NBA Cup play. Although they are one of the worst teams in the league so far this fall, and have an uphill battle ahead of them if they want to rally to make what would be their first postseason appearance since 2021, they have not yet been eliminated from the NBA Cup.
NBA Cup Night 5 Scoreboard
NBA Cup standings
East Group A
Toronto Raptors (3-0, +53)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1, +34)
Washington Wizards (1-2, -44)
Indiana Pacers (0-2, -31)
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East Group B
Detroit Pistons (2-0, +27)
Boston Celtics (1-2, -20)
Philadelphia 76ers (0-2, -10)
East C Group
Milwaukee Bucks (2-0, +16)
New York Knicks (1-1, -2)
Charlotte Hornets (0-2, -18)
West Group A
Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0, +63)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1, +53)
Sacramento Kings (0-2, -45)
West Group B
Los Angeles Lakers (2-0 +19)
Los Angeles Clippers (2-0, +2)
Memphis Grizzlies (1-1, +9)
Dallas Mavericks (1-2, -13)
New Orleans Pelicans (0-3, -17)
West Group C
Denver Nuggets (2-1, +26)
San Antonio Spurs (1-1, +10)
Portland Trail Blazers (2-1, -18)
Golden State Warriors (1-2, -28)
Houston Rockets (1-2, +10)