YOUNG, HAWKS SNAP SKID
Trae Young had 40 points and 13 assists, Dejounte Murray added 32 points and the visiting Atlanta Hawks overcame a slow start and spotty late foul shooting to beat the Washington Wizards 130-126 on Sunday.
Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 24 points and had 13 rebounds on a day when four Hawks finished with double-doubles to help their team remain unbeaten against the Wizards this season.
Clint Capela had 11 points and 17 rebounds. Saddiq Bey had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
“It’s up to me and (Dejounte) to put guys into positions to be successful,” Young said. ”We just try to mix it up and let everybody show their talent.”
Atlanta outrebounded Washington 58-42 and snapped a four-game slide. The game narrowed late only because the Hawks shot poorly from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
“I missed five free throws tonight, which is crazy,” said Young, who finished 14 of 19 from the line. “That allowed them to stay in the game.”
Kyle Kuzma scored 38 points and hit seven 3-pointers for Washington, which was trying to secure its first
Hawks 130, Wizards 126
consecutive wins of the season.
Four of Kuzma’s 3s came in the first quarter as the Wizards sprinted to an early 17-4 lead only to give it back before the period ended.
He finished with 18 attempts from beyond the arc while the Wizards took 53 total, both of which were franchise records.
“Honestly, the vast majority of them were pretty good,” Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said of those shots. “It’s just finding that balance of great shots, open 3s, versus when you’re not making them, get to the paint, create something downhill.”
Deni Advija had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who completed a fourgame homestand with one victory.
Pelicans 129, Lakers 109: Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram each scored 26 points and New Orleans beat road-weary Los Angeles.
Los Angeles was coming off a 108-106 loss at Minnesota on Saturday night, while New Orleans was off two days after beating Utah at home Thursday night.
LeBron James scored a 34 points and former Pelican Anthony Davis added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but they didn’t get enough help as the Lakers lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Celtics 134, Spurs 101: Jayson Tatum scored 25 points, Jaylen Brown added 24 and NBA-leading Boston extended its winning streak to six games with a victory in San Antonio.
Derrick White scored 17 points against his former team, and Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points and nine rebounds in his return after missing a game because of a calf injury.
Devin Vassell scored 22 points for San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama had 21 points and seven rebounds for San Antonio. The Spurs have lost seven of eight.
Boston improved to 26-6, going 12-2 in December.
Thunder 124, Nets 108:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and six assists and host Oklahoma City won its fourth straight game.
Josh Giddey had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, and rookie Chet Holmgren added 18 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for Oklahoma City, which improved to 22-9, good for second place in the Western Conference.
The Thunder have hosted a New Year’s Eve game every year since the franchise moved to town and have a 12-4 record in those games.
Brooklyn is 2-8 all-time on New Year’s Eve.
Suns 112, Magic 107: Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Bradley Beal added a season-high 25 and host Phoenix won its third straight game.
Beal was playing in just his eighth game this season because of back and ankle injuries. The three-time AllStar — acquired in an offseason trade with Washington — shot 10 of 13 from the field, including a powerful dunk in the third quarter.
Kings 123, Grizzlies 92: Malik Monk scored 27 points, Domantas Sabonis added 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists and Sacramento routed visiting Memphis.
Jaren Jackson led Memphis with 18 points. Desmond Bane, Ja Morant and Luke Kennard finished with 17 points apiece as the Grizzlies lost their third in a row.
Notable
Power forward Aaron Gordon rejoined the Denver Nuggets for practice Sunday, a week after he was bitten by his pet Rottweiler, leaving him with 21 stitches across his right shooting hand and face.
Gordon told The Denver Post he feels he’s ready to return to action tonight when the Nuggets host the Charlotte Hornets.