NBA: Wall, Beal shine as Wizards topple Hawks for 2-0 series lead
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts during the second half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, as Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) walks past, Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in Washington. The Wizards won 109-101. AP PHOTO
WASHINGTON—Bradley Beal scored 16 of his 31 points in the final quarter as the Washington Wizards seized a 2-0 lead in their first round NBA playoff series with a 109-101 win on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila).
John Wall delivered a team high 32 points as he and Beal tallied 20 of the Wizards’ final 21 points in a penalty filled contest.
The Wizards fell behind 89-88 with just over six minutes left in regulation. A Beal layup put Washington up for good at 96-94 and Wall’s free throw with 25 seconds left capped the decisive 16-4 run and put the Wizards ahead 107-98
Washington won the series opener 114-107 on Sunday. Wall had 32 points and 14 assists as the Wizards scored 69 points in the second half.
Game three is in Atlanta on Saturday (Sunday, Manila) as the Wizards have won five in a row over the Hawks.
Paul Millsap had 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks. Dennis Schroder scored 23 points and Tim Hardaway had 19. Atlanta committed 18 turnovers.
After game one, Millsap made a point of calling out what he considered overly aggressive play from the Wizards — “They were playing MMA,” he said.
In game two, the teams were whistled for 55 fouls and took a combined 71 free throws. Atlanta was 33 of 38 and Washington finished 24 of 33.
After shooting six of 18 after three quarters, Beal sank six of nine in the fourth, including two of his four from beyond the arc.
Washington’s Marcin Gortat easily controlled the head-to-head matchup as Dwight Howard’s struggles in the playoffs continued. Hawks center Howard had just six points and seven rebounds.
