WASHINGTON _ Another painful lesson for the Hawks.
The Wizards used a 16-4 run late in the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind playoff victory over the Hawks. The Hawks dropped a 109-101 decision in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series Wednesday at the Verizon Center.
They will leave Washington dropping two games they had a chance to steal.
The Wizards lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 before it returns to Atlanta.
Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Dennis Schroder finished with 23 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 19 points.
John Wall again led the Wizards with a game-high 32 points. Bradley Beal added 31 points.
The game featured 55 fouls.
The Hawks led 94-91 with six minutes remaining in the game before the Wizards made their decisive run. The Wizards rallied as the Hawks committed several turnovers compounded by questionable shot attempts down the stretch.
The Hawks erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit. They used an 18-4 run to take a 74-67 advantage during the period. Millsap scored nine of the points in the run. They Hawks took a 78-74 lead into the fourth quarter after the comeback.
The Wizards led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter but the Hawks led 24-23 after the first period. Wall (12) and Beal (seven) combined for 19 of the Wizards' total. They had every point in a 14-0 Wizards run in the quarter to open the double-digit advantage, 16-6, before the Hawks closed strong.
The Wizards took a 51-43 advantage into halftime as the Hawks managed just 19 second-quarter points. The Hawks struggled from long range the entire first half, missing all 3-point attempts through two quarters. They had not gone a half without a 3-pointer this season.
The Hawks entered the game determined to keep an even temperament despite the physical nature of Game 1 and the swings of momentum in a playoff series.
"It's about understanding," Kent Bazemore said before the game. "The playoffs roll around and everyone across the world is "Ooh, it's playoff time." Honestly, it's another game. Obviously there is a lot at stake but you can't psyche yourself out or put too much emotion or too much anxiety on it. It's such a negative stigma when people talk about playoff games. It's the first to 16 wins. It's still a long season. Take it a game at a time, possession by possession. It's the same mindset you need in the regular season. It's still a grind."
