The top two picks of the 2024 NBA draft—Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher and Washington’s Alex Sarr—are set to face off for the first time on Monday when the Hawks host the Wizards. Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick, started for the first time on Sunday. Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick, has started the first two games, averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Atlanta, coming off a 128-104 loss to the unbeaten Oklahoma City Thunder, will play their first back-to-back of the season. Washington, still seeking its first win, lost their season opener to the Boston Celtics 122-102 and fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-116 on Saturday. This game is the first of four meetings between the teams this season, with the next match on Wednesday in Washington. Atlanta dominated the series last season, winning three out of four games and maintaining a strong record of 12 wins in the past 15 meetings.
Trae Young, averaging 30.7 points, had 24 points and eight assists against the Thunder but also committed 10 turnovers. Young extended his streak of games with at least five assists to 164, the third-longest in NBA history. Risacher recorded career highs with 13 points and six rebounds, bringing his average to 8.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.
The Hawks played without starting forward De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (right hamstring) on Sunday.
Washington has shown promise in the first half of their games but struggled to maintain momentum. Jordan Poole scored 26 points in the opener, and Bilal Coulibaly had a career-high 23 points against the Cavaliers. Sarr has recorded multiple blocks in the first two games, a rookie feat last achieved by Calvin Booth in 2000.
Kyle Kuzma, the Wizards’ leading scorer last season at 22.2 points, is currently struggling. He shot 3-for-16 against Cleveland and is shooting 28.1% this season, including 0-for-9 on three-pointers.
Washington’s opening lineup, with an average age of 22.72 years, was the youngest in the NBA and the youngest in franchise history since tracking began in 1970. Bub Carrington, despite a mild ankle sprain in the opener, did not miss a game. The Wizards aim to find their footing as they face off against the Hawks on Monday.
