Hawks 108, Clippers 99

The Clippers were without three starters. Leading scorers Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were ruled out due to health and safety protocols. Guard Patrick Beverley missed the game with right knee soreness.

“It’s tough. It’s just how this year is going to go,” said Los Angeles center Ivica Zubac, who noted the Clippers had not been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic before this week.

“We were lucky to have everyone so far, but it is what it is," Zubac said. "We’ve got to adjust. It’s going to be this type of season for everyone and we’re not the exception.”

Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Serge Ibaka had 15 points.

De’Andre Hunter had 22 points for Atlanta. Clint Capela collected 13 points and 19 rebounds.

Three free throws by Young gave the Hawks a 95-85 lead. Jackson’s three-point play trimmed the advantage to 101-96, but Kevin Huerter answered with his third 3-pointer of the fourth period.

Ibaka had 13 first-half points to help the Clippers to a 48-43 lead at the break. Young’s 14 points in the third quarter sparked the Hawks’ second-half surge.

“I think we just upped our intensity and just played a little bit harder,” Young said. “For us, coming into the game we weren’t necessarily locked in from the beginning. ... We just need to do a better job of attacking the first half the same way we do the second.”

Teams are not allowed to reveal if players in the health and safety protocol have tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing and inconclusive test results also could place players in the protocol.

Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game Leonard and George “are feeling well.”

Leonard is averaging 25.9 points and George is right behind at 23.9, leaving a significant scoring void.

“Our guys are up for the challenge,” Lue said. “No excuses. ... Hopefully they can get back and join the team soon.”

The Clippers’ patchwork lineup struggled early on with perimeter shooting. Los Angeles made only two of its first 11 3-point shots and 8 of 26 overall.

Clippers’ guard Terance Mann had 10 points in his first start of the season. Jackson made his second start and Luke Kennard had 13 points.

The Hawks’ John Collins had 11 points with 11 rebounds and set a career high by blocking five shots.

Huerter gave the Hawks a fourth-quarter push by scoring each of his 13 points in the final period. Huerter sank consecutive 3-pointers after Los Angeles pulled even at 79-all, giving Atlanta the lead for good.

“That fourth quarter in a lot of ways I felt more in rhythm and was just taking better shots,” Huerter said. “I got back to the strongest part of my game.”

Approximately 1,300 Hawks season-ticket holders attended the game, less than 10% capacity of State Farm Arena. It was the Hawks’ first move toward a gradual return of fans. Tarps continued to cover seats on the side of the arena behind the teams.

Rockets 107, Wizards 88

John Wall scored 24 points in his first game against his former team, leading Houston to a victory over Washington.

Wall was selected by Washington with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft and spent his entire career with the Wizards before he was traded to Houston in December for Russell Westbrook and a future first-round pick.

Wall had 15 points and four assists by halftime, including a left-handed layup that came after a nifty behind the back move and put Houston up 53-45 in the second quarter. He cooled off in the third but got going again in the fourth to put the game away in his second game back after missing five with a sore left knee.

Houston was leading by six when Wall re-entered the game with about seven minutes left. He scored five quick points before finding Victor Oladipo in the corner near the Washington bench for a 3-pointer to make it 93-79.

The Wizards called a timeout after that, and Wall yelled and jumped as he looked at the opposing bench before bounding back to the Houston side.

Wall and Westbrook were both given technical fouls soon after that when they jawed at each other as Westbrook prepared to shoot free throws after being fouled by DeMarcus Cousins.

Bradley Beal made a 3-pointer with about 3½ minutes left to trim Houston's lead to 10, but Wall hit a 3 seconds later and Cousins added two free throws to make it 99-84.

Oladipo and Eric Gordon added 20 points apiece to help the Rockets to their third straight win.

Beal scored 33 points to give him at least 25 in each of his 12 games this season, extending a franchise record. Westbrook, who spent just one season in Houston, had 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds.

Washington led by three with about two minutes left in the third before Houston wrapped up the quarter with a 10-2 run, including five points from Gordon, to take a 75-70 lead into the fourth.

The Wizards were missing six players because of health and safety protocols.