Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 28, 2017 ) Washington 115, Atlanta 99

The Washington Wizards will try to put together consecutive wins for the first time in nearly three weeks when they continue a four-game homestand against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday in their first matchup since the first round of the playoffs last season. The Wizards are 3-5 since opening the season 3-0, but they put things together on both ends of the floor in a 111-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

It was the squad's best defensive effort in a span of five games, the first four of which saw it give up an average of 115.3 points. "It's a start," coach Scott Brooks told reporters. "It's not solved, our defense, but it's a start. It was a solid basketball game for a lot of guys." The Hawks have been more competitive of late, first snapping an eight-game slide at Cleveland and then suffering narrow defeats against early Eastern Conference front-runners Boston and Detroit. However, after Friday's 111-104 loss to the Pistons, Atlanta had allowed at least 110 points in six consecutive games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), NBCSN Washington

ABOUT THE HAWKS (2-10): Kent Bazemore scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting in Friday's loss after shooting under 50 percent from the field in his previous nine affairs. Five others reached double figures for Atlanta, which was done in by a 19-point second quarter in falling for the sixth time in its last seven road games. "Hopefully we can build on the second half, the way we played," coach Mike Budenholzer told the media. "It's really how we need to play for the whole game. Not good enough in the first half and dug ourselves a hole."

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (6-5): John Wall scored 23 points, Bradley Beal had 22 and Otto Porter Jr. chipped in 20 in the win over the Lakers as Washington shot 51.8 percent from the floor. Seven reserves combined to score 22 on 8-of-21 shooting, continuing a theme of some lackluster bench play for the Wizards, who entered Friday's action with an average of 29.6 points from their substitutes - 24th in the NBA. The starters should be bolstered by the continued progression of forward Markieff Morris, who scored 16 points in 17 minutes Thursday in his fourth game since returning from hernia surgery.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wall averaged 29.5 points and 10.3 assists in Washington's 4-2 first-round series win over Atlanta in April.

2. Hawks C Dewayne Dedmon is shooting 69.4 percent over his last four games.

3. Porter is shooting 51.1 percent from 3-point range.

PREDICTION: Wizards 109, Hawks 99