Beal leads well-rested Wizards past Hawks
ATLANTA – After resting up for the past week, the Washington Wizards merely had to withstand Atlanta’s early pace.
Once the Hawks ran out of gas, Bradley Beal and the Wizards took control.
Just call them the road warriors.
Beal shook off a sprained ankle to score 28 points and streaking Washington remained unbeaten in the postseason, knocking off top-seeded Atlanta 104-98 Sunday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
It was another gritty performance by the Wizards, who improved to 8-1 on the road in the playoffs over the past two postseasons, including 3-0 this year. They became the first team in NBA history to win four straight Game 1s on the road.
“Just withstanding adversity,” said John Wall, who had 18 points and 13 assists. “We know they’re going to come out and give us a punch right away.”
Taking advantage of a week off since their sweep of Toronto, the Wizards wore down the Hawks in the fourth quarter. Otto Porter scored a couple of big baskets coming down the stretch, including a 3-pointer, and Marcin Gortat sealed it with a lay-in off a pass from Wall with 14.6 seconds remaining.
“We kept talking about it’s a long game,” Washington coach Randy Wittman said. “We got better and better and better.”
The Hawks needed six games to beat eight-seeded Brooklyn and had to open this best-of-seven series with about a 36-hour turnaround. After racing to a 37-26 lead after the first quarter, Atlanta couldn’t make anything in the fourth.
Even with plenty of good looks, the Hawks hit only 5 of 28 (17.9 percent) in the final period, including 1 of 10 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Atlanta.
“Our pace was better in the first half,” Al Horford said. “Maybe in the second half, we were just tired or whatever.”
The frustration for the home team was epitomized by one crucial possession with just over 2 minutes to go. The Hawks kept giving themselves extra chances, hustling for five offensive rebounds. But they missed six straight shots before the Wizards finally grabbed possession, the crowd groaning louder and louder with each ball that clanked off the rim.
“I had a couple of tips that just came out. I couldn’t believe it,” Horford said. “I think that was the key point of the game.”
Golden State 101, Memphis 86: Stephen Curry had 22 points and seven assists, and the Warriors wore down the undermanned Grizzlies in a 101-86 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Sunday.
Klay Thompson added 18 points and Draymond Green scored 16 to help the top-seeded Warriors roll to their 21st straight victory at raucous Oracle Arena. They led by nine at the half, 20 late in the third quarter and never let the Grizzlies build any momentum in the fourth.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Oakland.
Marc Gasol had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Zach Randolph finished with 20 points and nine rebounds for a Memphis team missing point guard Mike Conley. He sat on the bench in a suit, his left eye still swollen, as he continues to recover from surgery to repair broken bones in his face.