NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     ATLANTA          26  19  22  20       87
     WASHINGTON       24  28  23  19       94    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  ATL - ROSHOWN MCLEOD 22, JIMMY JACKSON 17, DIKEMBE MUTOMBO
                      12
                WAS - JUWAN HOWARD 21, ROD STRICKLAND 12, GERARD KING 11


 HIGH REBOUND:  ATL - DIKEMBE MUTOMBO 12, ALAN HENDERSON 12
                WAS - ISAAC AUSTIN 11, MICHAEL SMITH 9


 HIGH ASSISTS:  ATL - BIMBO COLES 5, JIMMY JACKSON 3
                WAS - ROD STRICKLAND 10, MICHAEL SMITH 3


          ATT:  16,038
                                                                        

Extended Box


ATLANTA (87) AT WASHINGTON (94)


ATLANTA
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


HENDERSON         F    35    4-9      0-0      5   7  12    0   2   0   2    8
MCLEOD            F    37    8-16     5-6      0   5   5    2   4   2   0   22
MUTOMBO           C    37    2-7      8-12     4   8  12    2   2   0   3   12
COLES             G    32    4-14     1-1      0   3   3    5   3   1   6    9
JACKSON           G    39    5-15     7-7      4   5   9    3   1   0   6   17
TERRY                  11    1-3      2-2      0   1   1    1   3   2   2    5
JOHNSON                14    3-5      0-0      1   1   2    1   4   0   2    6
WRIGHT                 14    1-3      0-2      0   3   3    0   2   0   0    2
CRAWFORD               15    2-5      0-0      2   1   3    0   1   0   1    4
BOWDLER                 6    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   0   1    2
GLOVER                DNP - COACH'S DECISION
RIDER                 DNP - DEATH IN FAMILY


TOTALS                240   31-78    23-30    16  34  50   15  22   5  23   87
                            (.397)   (.767) TEAM REBS: 8  TOTAL TO: 23(21 PTS)


WASHINGTON
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


HOWARD            F    32    9-16     3-3      1   1   2    2   3   2   0   21
SMITH             F    29    3-3      0-0      2   7   9    3   1   1   0    6
AUSTIN            C    22    2-5      0-0      0  11  11    2   1   0   2    4
RICHMOND          G    24    3-13     0-1      1   0   1    0   6   1   1    6
STRICKLAND        G    34    6-15     0-0      2   2   4   10   2   1   5   12
HAMILTON               16    3-8      4-4      0   0   0    0   5   0   0   10
J WHITE                12    1-4      0-0      2   2   4    1   4   0   1    2
A WILLIAMS             19    2-3      3-4      3   2   5    0   4   0   1    7
T MURRAY               16    2-8      0-0      1   2   3    1   1   0   2    5
C WHITNEY              15    3-6      2-2      0   1   1    1   0   0   2   10
KING                   14    5-7      1-2      0   2   2    2   1   0   1   11
PROFIT                  7    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    1   2   0   0    0


TOTALS                240   39-88    13-16    12  30  42   23  30   5  15   94
                            (.443)   (.813) TEAM REBS: 6  TOTAL TO: 15(12 PTS)


   ATLANTA            26   19   22   20  -   87
   WASHINGTON         24   28   23   19  -   94


BLOCKED SHOTS: ATLANTA -  MUTOMBO 5. WASHINGTON -  SMITH 2, AUSTIN 2, A
WILLIAMS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: ATLANTA 2-6 (.333), MCLEOD 1-1, COLES 0-1, JACKSON 0-2,
TERRY 1-2. WASHINGTON 3-10 (.300), RICHMOND 0-3, T MURRAY 1-3, C WHITNEY
2-4.
TECHNICALS: ATLANTA - HENDERSON, WASHINGTON - ILLEGAL DEFENSE.
OFFICIALS: TOMMY NUNEZ, RON OLESIAK, RODNEY MOTT.
A - 16,038. T - 2:20.
                                                                        

Box Score


ATLANTA (87)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Henderson       35   4-9   0-0  5-12  0  2    8
Mcleod          37  8-16   5-6   0-5  2  4   22
Mutombo         37   2-7  8-12  4-12  2  2   12
Coles           32  4-14   1-1   0-3  5  3    9
Jackson         39  5-15   7-7   4-9  3  1   17
Terry           11   1-3   2-2   0-1  1  3    5
Johnson         14   3-5   0-0   1-2  1  4    6
Wright          14   1-3   0-2   0-3  0  2    2
Crawford        15   2-5   0-0   2-3  0  1    4
Bowdler          6   1-1   0-0   0-0  1  0    2
Glover         DNP - coach's decision
Rider          DNP - death in family
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 31-78 23-30 16-50 15 22   87
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.397, FT-.767. 3-Point Goals:
2-6, .333 (Mcleod 1-1, Coles 0-1, Jackson 0-2,
Terry 1-2). Team rebounds: 8. Blocked shots: 5
(Mutombo 5). Turnovers: 23 (Coles 6, Jackson 6,
Mutombo 3, Henderson 2, Johnson 2, Terry 2,
Bowdler, Crawford). Steals: 5 (Mcleod 2, Terry 2,
Coles).


WASHINGTON (94)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Howard          32  9-16   3-3   1-2  2  3   21
Smith           29   3-3   0-0   2-9  3  1    6
Austin          22   2-5   0-0  0-11  2  1    4
Richmond        24  3-13   0-1   1-1  0  6    6
Strickland      34  6-15   0-0   2-4 10  2   12
Hamilton        16   3-8   4-4   0-0  0  5   10
J White         12   1-4   0-0   2-4  1  4    2
A Williams      19   2-3   3-4   3-5  0  4    7
T Murray        16   2-8   0-0   1-3  1  1    5
C Whitney       15   3-6   2-2   0-1  1  0   10
King            14   5-7   1-2   0-2  2  1   11
Profit           7   0-0   0-0   0-0  1  2    0
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 39-88 13-16 12-42 23 30   94
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.443, FT-.813. 3-Point Goals:
3-10, .300 (Richmond 0-3, T Murray 1-3, C Whitney
2-4). Team rebounds: 6. Blocked shots: 5 (Smith
2, Austin 2, A Williams). Turnovers: 15
(Strickland 5, Austin 2, C Whitney 2, T Murray 2,
A Williams, J White, King, Richmond). Steals: 5
(Howard 2, Richmond, Smith, Strickland).
____________________________________________
Atlanta            26   19   22   20  -   87
Washington         24   28   23   19  -   94
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Atlanta 1 (Henderson, 2:30 2nd).
Washington 1 (Illegal Defense, 3:41 3rd).
Flagrant fouls: None.  A: 16,038. T: 2:20.
Officials: Tommy Nunez, Ron Olesiak, Rodney Mott.
                                                                        

Game Story


WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Coach Gar Heard's coaching debut with the
Washington Wizards was a success as Juwan Howard scored 21
points to lead five players in double figures in a 94-87 victory
over the Atlanta Hawks in the season opener for both teams. 


Heard, who played for the Seattle SuperSonics from 1970-72 under
current Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens, used all 12 of his players in
a game that featured 52 fouls.  This is his first season with a
permanent head coaching position, having gone 9-44 for Dallas in
the 1993-94 season and serving many years as an assistant. 


"We're going to have to play with 12 guys," Heard said.  "This
is the first time I've ever seen them call the game the way the
rulebook and the commissioner want it to be called." 


Howard made 9-for-16 shots and got help from Rod Strickland, who
had 12 points and 10 assists.  Forward Gerard King, a member of
the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs last season, came off the
bench to score 11 points in 14 minutes, including nine in the
second quarter. 


Rookie swingman Richard Hamilton and reserve guard Chris Whitney
each scored 10 points for Washington, which had lost its last
three home meetings with Atlanta.  They picked up the slack for
high-scoring guard Mitch Richmond, who managed just six points
and fouled out in 24 minutes. 


"There were some fouls early, but the bench gave us a big lift,"
Heard said. "The most important thing is for this team to win,
and I'm really happy to get this win tonight." 


Richmond made just 3-of-10 shots but gave the Wizards an 86-72
lead with 7:32 remaining with a running layup off a feed from
Strickland. 


Atlanta center Dikembe Mutombo had 12 points, 12 rebounds and
five blocks.  He was very outspoken about the rules changes that
have created an increase in the number of fouls called. 


"I really don'T like it," said Mutombo, who was called for just
two fouls.  "If I have to speak against it all season long, I
will.  It's just terrible.  I don't know what made this
institution go and change the game the way they did. 


"It's affecting the way we've been playing -- physically and
mentally -- because a lot of whistles are being blown and
there's no movement no more. They've taken all the physical part
of the game away. To me, we are playing European style. 


Atlanta's Jim Jackson started for Isaiah Rider and scored 17
points, including a three-point play with 1:42 remaining that
cut the deficit to 92-87.  But the Hawks got no closer. 


Rider and Jackson both were acquired in the deal that sent Steve
Smith to Portland.  Rider was not with the team due to a death
in the family. 


Roshown McLeod, who led the Hawks with 22 points, scored six of
Atlanta's first 10 points and Howard tallied six of Washington's
first dozen.  McLeod scored 14 points in the first quarter,
including a 3-pointer from near halfcourt as the buzzer sounded
that gave the Hawks a 26-24 lead. 


Jackson scored six consecutive points to give Atlanta a 40-39
lead midway through the second quarter.  The Wizards went on a
9-2 run, capped by King's 20-footer, for a 48-42 lead with 1:09
remaining in the half. 


Howard, who missed the last 14 games of last season, led the
Wizards with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the first half. 


Washington scored the first six points of the second half on a
jumper from the corner by Isaac Austin, a short baseline jumper 
by Howard and a steal and layup by Richmond for a 58-45 lead. 
                                                                        

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