How the Wizards’ win against the Hawks gives a plan without Tre Johnson

The Washington Wizards they didn’t just win without two of their key pieces against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but they had their most dominant performance in nearly two years. Their 132-113 victory was their largest margin of victory (+19) since January 13, 2024, when they beat the Hawks 127-99 on the road.

Both No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson (hip) and second-year wing Keeshon George (illness) missed the contest, making the Wizards’ performance even more impressive. George is third on the team with 16.5 points per game this season while leading in assists (4.9) and steals (1.1), and Johnson is fourth with 11.5 points.

Washington progressed thanks to not only quality individual performances, but team-oriented basketball. The team had 30 assists and five different players had two plus dimes. Veteran forward Khris Middleton led the way with 12, while second-year guard Bub Carrington had six off the bench. Veteran guard CJ McCollum and third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly each added four, and head coach Brian Keefe added four shouted the latter player in his presser after the game.

“Yeah, obviously you see some explosiveness,” he told ClutchPoints when asked about the 21-year-old’s offensive impact. “I thought early in the game, he was the one who went downhill and got into the paint that led to some sprays. You know, he’s still getting used to playing with that starting lineup. He’s only played four or five games with that group. But we’re starting to see that he can start, play with pace, because he can wreak havoc with his speed, and we saw that early on. Our threes early on was that breakout.”

The Wizards’ young core can shine if used properly

Koulibaly has balanced his dunk prowess with passing acumen in the nine games he has played this season. 6-foot-7, 195 pounds has 12 dunks (1.3 per game), and 23.5 percent of his field goal attempts so far have been dunks, according to Basketball Reference. It’s easy to see why when it produces accents like this:

🗣 BILAL! 🗣 COULIBALI! pic.tvitter.com/krjtvZOCMC

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) November 26, 2025

Coulibaly, meanwhile, has also registered four assists in five different competitions this season, a product of his going downhill and dropping into the top scorers. For example, the French international assisted on three three-point shots in the first quarter on Tuesday, which Keefe alluded to.

On the other hand, Coulibaly is still a weak three-point shooter, shooting 27.6 percent from deep this season and 30.8 percent in his career. The two-time rising star is also a limited dribbler, relying on his crossing and quick first step to beat defenders. Fortunately, he doesn’t need Allen Iverson-like handles to be effective for Washington. For now, he can focus on defense and rim penetration while gradually improving those other areas.

The same logic applies to the Wizards’ other young players. For example, Carrington had one of his best games of the season shooting and passing from the mid-range and perimeter, which are his biggest strengths. In addition, second-year center Alex Sarr continued his new habit of using his seven-foot, 205-pound frame to dominate the paint offensively. The 20-year-old scored 27 points (11-15 FG, 1-2 3-point) with 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 38 minutes. He now has seven 20-plus point games in 15 games this season after having 10 in 67 appearances last year.

meanwhile, George can contribute in every facet of the game so he will be another asset when he returns. That could be as soon as the Indiana Pacers, who have the worst record in the NBA at 2-16, visit on Friday night. The Wizards are half a game ahead at 2-15.

Conversely, Johnson will be ruled out for a at least two weeksaccording to Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. However, if Washington’s coaching staff continues to capitalize on the strengths of its other young players while relying on steady production from veterans like McCollum (46 points Tuesday), Middleton and guard Corey Kispert (39 points over the last two games), the team has a chance to be competitive most nights.

The Wizards, who must finish inside the bottom four in the NBA standings to guarantee they keep their top eight protected lottery picks next summer, are not yet focused on winning. But their young core will develop faster by not getting blown out all the time, as being in closer games will keep them more engaged.

Although Tuesday’s result won’t be the norm, Washington has already lost by 15-plus points nine times. More games like Saturday’s 121-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls should be the goal, and winning a few of those would help the group’s confidence.

Following their NBA Cup opener against the Pacers on Friday, the Wizards will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday before playing the Philadelphia 76ers on the road on Tuesday.