Jonathan Kuminga made an instant impact in his Atlanta debut, scoring a season-high 27 points off the bench as the Hawks rolled past the Washington Wizards 119-98 on Tuesday night.
Acquired at the trade deadline from Golden State, Kuminga dazzled the home crowd with a thunderous dunk shortly after entering the game in the first quarter. The forward, returning from a left knee bone bruise, added three 3-pointers, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 24½ minutes.
Trae Young’s return to Atlanta was the evening’s emotional backdrop. The longtime Hawks star, traded to Washington in January after eight seasons in Atlanta, received a standing ovation during a tribute video in the second quarter. Young, sidelined with knee and quadriceps injuries, watched from the bench as Atlanta dominated.
The Hawks led by 15 after the first quarter and broke the game open in the third, stretching the lead to 100-64.
Will Riley led Washington with 18 points, but the Wizards were outmatched against Atlanta’s balanced attack.
Up next: The Hawks and Wizards meet again Thursday in Atlanta for the second game of their back-to-back series.
