The streak is over.
Dyson Daniels’ Atlanta Hawks have suffered a disastrous 132-113 loss to the Washington Wizards as the Aussie’s consecutive games with a steal steal came to an end.
Daniels, who’d swiped at least one steal in 70-straight regular season games and trailed only Michael Jordan (77), Alvin Robertson (105) Chris Paul (108) in the record books, had his first game without a steal since December 12.
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He tallied 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes of the shock NBA Cup loss.
It saw the Wizards, who had an NBA-worst 1-15 record going into the game, snap a 14-game losing streak and Atlanta fall to 11-8 overall.
CJ McCollum poured in a season-best 46 points and went 10-of-13 from 3-point land, while Alex Sarr (27 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, two blocks) added a big double-double for the home side.
Washington came out of the gates hot, setting the tone with a 18-2 start fuelled by nine points to McCollum as Atlanta looked flat.
Both McCollum and Corey Kispert drained four threes each in the first term and made the Wizards a perfect 8-of-8 from beyond the arc. Kristaps Porzingis’ 22 points led Atlanta.
Atlanta had no answers for Washington (AP Photo/John McDonnell)Source: AP
McCollum hit four threes in the first term for 14 points, while Kispert’s fourth triple with 2:19 left made the Wizards a perfect 8-for-8 from downtown as the hosts led 45-23 at the first change.
Atlanta’s bench helped the visitors get going early in the second term in their best period of the game. A Luke Kennard three got the Hawks within 15 at 59-44 midway through the second term as momentum began to swing.
Daniels scored his first points on a pass from Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the cutting Aussie under the basket to get the Hawks back within 13 with 5:16 left in the half.
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But Washington finished the half strong to extend the lead back out to 77-55 at the main break, led by McCollum’s 27 points.
Washington’s 77 first half points tied for the ninth-most in an opening half in franchise history.
The Wizards stayed hot in the second half and Atlanta’s defence constantly broke down as the lead at times threatened to push out beyond 30 points.
A 7-3 Washington run inside the last two minutes of the third term made it a commanding 111-78 lead at the final change.
Quin Snyder put his starters back into the game to start the final period for one final push including five-straight Hawks points from Daniels, but they couldn’t stop Washington from scoring.
Atlanta made some inroads including buckets to Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Johnson making it a 125-99 game with 6:39 remaining, but Snyder emptied his bench thereafter.
The Hawks outscored Washington 35-21 in the fourth quarter — the only period the visitors won.
