WASHINGTON (AFP) — Washington’s C.J. McCollum scored a season-high 46 points and the NBA-worst Wizards snapped a 14-game losing streak on Tuesday by routing Atlanta, 132-113, in a National Basketball Association (NBA) Cup contest.
The Wizards improved to 2-15 with their first home victory of the season and first-ever triumph in the mid-season tournament, staying in Cup playoff contention.
“We did a good job,” McCollum said.
“We lost some close games throughout the season and we kind of let ourselves down in terms of execution and having lost.”
“But I think tonight we got off to a good start in the third quarter, we withstood their runs and did enough to get the win.”
McCollum hit 17-of-25 shots from the floor and 10-of-13 from three-point range, tying Trevor Ariza for the Wizards’ record for three-pointers in a game and one shy of his career high for threes in a game.
“I put a lot of time in. I sacrifice a lot of time away from my family to get in the gym at night,” McCollum said. “These results, they come from hard work in the dark, a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to master my craft and be more consistent with my jump shot.”
French center Alex Sarr added 27 points and 11 rebounds while Corey Kispert had 19 points for Washington.
The Wizards seized a 45-23 lead after the first quarter, scoring their most points in any opening quarter since 1990 against Denver.
Washington took a 45-16 edge by hitting 15-of-20 shots from the floor and 8-of-8 from three-point range, Kispert and McCollum each starting 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Former Wizard Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points to lead the Hawks, who joined Washington at 1-2 in Cup Group A play.