Nov 25, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Luke Kennard (3) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (22) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Wizards Slay Luke Kennard Demons

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Washington Wizards, despite entering their NBA Cup matchup against the Atlanta Hawks with just one win in 16 tries, had one of the best single quarters of the season to start their game.

Their starting lineup seemingly could not miss a shot in entering the first quarterly break with a 45-23 lead, and that advantage jumped into the 30s before a poor close cost a few points. The Hawks would cut it to as close as 13 points before the Wizards surged back ahead, and the outing never got that close again in the eventual 132-113 win.

But for many Wizards fans, no lead feels safe, and that goes beyond the dozen or so games that the team's dropped in extending the losing streak to 14 games.

And how could they? Against the Wizards stood Luke Kennard, the man who just a few years ago led a storming comeback in Washington that few can historically recreate. It was he, then with the Los Angeles Clippers, who sunk the game-tying 3-pointer and drew the go-ahead and-one free throw to cap off his team's revival from a 35-point deficit during the 2021-22 season, solidifying himself as the most recent boogeyman presence to torture the already-ravaged fan base.

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Bucking the Trust Issues

Yet this Wizards squad, despite offering considerably fewer impact NBA players and fewer wins than any team ever on a per-rate basis, held the line. Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dāvis Bertāns, are gone, with only then-rookie Corey Kispert remaining from that failed experiment.

He enjoyed some sweet revenge during his limited appearance in the feel-good win, notching 24 points before missing the majority of the game's second half after suffering a thumb injury. He took the role of the game's premier shooter from Kennard in nailing four triples, each in the first quarter, completely overwhelming the Hawks before they could even get going.

That sense of relief was felt in the Washington crowd's spirited showing, as they thoroughly savored the losing streak's loud end. Even with tanking remaining as the primary goal of the season, the hard-fighting players deserved to finally taste victory. That was enough incentive to put a smile on just about any invested local's face, but getting it against the specter of their near-NBA record blown lead on this same court added made it just a little bit sweeter.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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