Kerr Cheers 600th Win as Warriors Secure 12-Game Sweep Against Wizards
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, De’Anthony Melton added 27 and the Golden State Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak with a 125-117 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night, earning coach Steve Kerr his 600th career victory. Golden State is without Stephen Curry (right knee) and Jimmy Butler (torn right ACL), and Seth Curry (left groin) and Al Horford (left calf strain) were also out Monday. The Warriors are almost assured of ending up in the play-in round in the Western Conference, but it matters where among that foursome you finish, and they were able to end their skid against the lowly Wizards.
Washington has dropped 12 in a row, but the Wizards still haven’t taken over last place in the East because Indiana has lost 13 straight. The Warriors rested Draymond Green, Porzingis and Melton in Sunday’s loss at New York, and those three were able to help them on the second night of this back-to-back. Golden State led by 17 in the second quarter before the Wizards fought back to within two.
It was 64-57 at the half. Golden State led by 15 early in the fourth before the Wizards made one more push. They could draw no closer than five.
Trae Young scored 21 points in 21 minutes for Washington. HAWKS 124, MAGIC 112 ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a career-high 41 points, Jalen Johnson had his 13th triple-double of the season and Atlanta rolled past the Magic, extending their winning streak to 10 games and snapping Orlando’s at seven. The Hawks improved to 38-31 and reclaimed eighth place in the Eastern Conference, bumping Philadelphia back to ninth.
Johnson had 24 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists in his second straight triple-double. Dyson Daniels added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Alexander-Walker scored 24 points in the first half, helping Atlanta to a 67-50 lead at halftime.