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Wizards at Hawks: a quick rematch with NBA Cup points at stake

Atlanta won 120-105 in Washington on Wednesday. Two days later, the teams meet again in Georgia, where the game will count toward the NBA Cup. That distinction changes the stakes: Washington opened East Group C with a win, while this will be Atlanta's first group game. The Wizards must find a better answer to Nickeil Alexander-Walker's outside shooting without losing Anthony Davis as an attacking option. The Hawks have to reproduce their strong first meeting without assuming the result will follow them home.

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Exterior facade of State Farm Arena in Atlanta with its sign visible.
Outside State Farm Arena, the Hawks’ home in Atlanta. File photograph from 2019. © Warren LeMay / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
  • Competition: 2026/27 NBA season, Emirates NBA Cup East Group C play.
  • Matchup: Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks.
  • Tip-off: Friday 6 November, 7 p.m. EST in Atlanta; Saturday 7 November, 00:00 UTC.
  • Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta's win came outside the Cup

The Hawks are 5-4 after Wednesday's victory in the US capital. Alexander-Walker led them with 26 points and six made three-pointers; CJ McCollum added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Atlanta had already won 108-104 at Indiana, giving it two straight victories before its first Cup fixture. The 120-105 score did not give the Hawks a group lead, however, because Wednesday's game was a regular-season contest outside group play.

Atlanta can start an attack in several ways. Alexander-Walker offers range, McCollum can create off the dribble, and Onyeka Okongwu provides a target near the basket. Dyson Daniels contributes on the defensive perimeter and the glass. If the Hawks again create open shots away from the ball, Washington must decide how much help to send toward drives and how tightly to guard the corners. Playing the same opponent twice in three days makes the matchups familiar, while giving the Wizards a chance to adjust.

Trae Young's return to Atlanta adds another strand. He spent more than seven seasons with the Hawks before moving to Washington and faced his old team in the first leg of this home-and-home set. His return to the city coincides with Atlanta's Cup opener. The personal history adds interest but does not predict his performance or the result.

Washington's two scorers need more support

Wednesday's loss left the Wizards 4-4. Davis scored 26 points and grabbed ten rebounds; Kyshawn George had 25 points and seven assists. They supplied plenty of individual production, but Washington still lost by 15. The team had beaten Orlando 103-94 earlier in the week and defeated Charlotte 95-79 in its Cup opener on 30 October. Its Group C record is 1-0: the defeat to Atlanta did not change it.

George offers a second playmaking route alongside Young. Davis can finish close to the rim or move out to receive, while rookie AJ Dybantsa gives the wings another scoring option. Washington's task is to turn those choices into connected possessions instead of replacing one difficult attempt with another. If the Hawks focus on the perimeter after Alexander-Walker's display, Davis could find room inside. If they send help toward him, George and Young will have to locate open teammates. Those are possible adjustments, not a plan announced for Friday.

Rebounding is another concern. Washington can ill afford to surrender second chances against a home side beginning its Cup campaign. Atlanta must defend Davis without losing track of George's passing. Davis's 26 points in a losing effort on Wednesday are a reminder that containing one player does not tell the whole story of either meeting.

Player availability

The NBA's official injury report at 6:45 a.m. EST on Thursday 5 November still listed “NOT YET SUBMITTED” for both teams for Friday's Washington–Atlanta game. For a fixture that is not the second night of a back-to-back, the league requires an initial report by 5 p.m. local time the day before. Appearing on Wednesday does not confirm a player for Friday.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Absences and doubts: Atlanta had not submitted game-specific participation designations in that report. Jalen Johnson missed the previous meeting, but that does not establish his status for the Cup game.
  • Potential returns: no game-specific clearance had been announced.

Washington Wizards

  • Absences and doubts: Washington had likewise not submitted game-specific designations. The availability of Young, Davis, George and their teammates cannot be inferred from Wednesday's box score.
  • Potential returns: no game-specific clearance had been announced.

How to watch Wizards at Hawks

  • Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta.
  • Date and time: Friday 6 November, 7 p.m. EST in the eastern United States; Saturday 7 November, 00:00 UTC.

United States — Friday 6, 7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PST

  • Washington market: MNMT on television and Monumental+ for streaming, as listed for this game in the Wizards' official schedule.
  • Atlanta market: the Hawks' viewing guide names WANF/Peachtree Sports Network and local Prime Video for eligible, non-exclusive games, but the schedules checked do not identify a specific station for this matchup.
  • Outside the local markets: NBA League Pass lists this Cup game, subject to location-based blackouts.

Australia — Saturday 7, 11 a.m. AEDT in Sydney / 8 a.m. AWST in Perth

  • Streaming: NBA League Pass lists the game, and the NBA's international availability guide covers Australia. No separate live television channel was confirmed for this matchup.

United Kingdom — Saturday 7, midnight GMT

  • Streaming: NBA League Pass lists the game, and the NBA's international availability guide covers the UK. No separate live television channel was confirmed for this matchup.

Atlanta has a recent regular-season win to draw on; Washington has the group's opening victory. Friday's game will show which side made more of the short gap between meetings when Cup progress is at stake.