Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 4, 2019 ) Atlanta 137, Washington 129

The Atlanta Hawks have the worst record in the NBA heading into Friday’s visit to the Washington Wizards, but Trae Young continues to impress despite the team’s struggles. The second-year point guard recorded his second triple-double of the season in Wednesday’s 122-115 loss to Houston, scoring 42 points with a career-high 13 rebounds to go with 10 assists, and the 21-year-old entered Thursday fourth in the NBA in scoring and fifth in assists.

“We’ve got a lot of our guys back healthy,” Young told reporters after Wednesday’s loss, in which the Hawks rallied from 23 points down to draw within one possession in the final minutes. “We just have to figure out how to close out games.” Slowing down Young – who averages 29.2 points and 8.5 assists – is critical for a Wizards' team that allowed 123 points in a 34-point loss Wednesday to Orlando, Washington’s fifth defeat in its past eight games. Guard Bradley Beal is fifth in the NBA in scoring at 27.8 points but has missed four consecutive games with right leg soreness, and Washington is missing its top four scorers: Beal, forward Davis Bertans (right quadriceps strain), forward Rui Hachimura (groin injury) and center Thomas Bryant (right stress foot reaction). “We’re going to be super cautious not only with Brad, but with all our guys,” Washington coach Scott Brooks told reporters after Wednesday’s loss.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: FS Southeast, NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE HAWKS (8-30): Young leads the Eastern Conference with six 40-plus point games this season, the most by an Atlanta player since Dominique Wilkins (eight) in 1992-93. Forward John Collins is averaging 18.6 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven games since returning from suspension, shooting 50 percent from the field and 92.9 percent from the free-throw line. Center Alex Len recorded a double-double Wednesday (14 points, 10 rebounds), and is averaging 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in his past 15 games.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (12-25): The absence of Beal, Bertans (15.4 points), Hachimura (13.9) and Bryant (13.9) removes 71 points per game from the Washington lineup, while the Wizards are allowing an NBA-worst 120.2 points per contest. Rookie forward Admiral Schofield set career highs in points (18) and minutes (36) against Orlando, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and registering six rebounds. Guard Isaiah Thomas averages 12.8 points, but across his past six games is scoring just 8.7 points.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wizards G Jordan McRae is averaging 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his past eight games.

2. Atlanta is 29th in the league in points allowed per game (117.4).

3. Washington G Gary Payton II recorded three steals Wednesday, and in nine games this season is averaging 2.3 steals.

PREDICTION: Hawks 117, Wizards 115