Hawks are 5-20 after falling to the Wizards

Alex Len (top) of the Hawks is charged with a foul as he falls over Austin Rivers of the Washington Wizards.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Credit: Kevin C. Cox

Credit: Kevin C. Cox

Alex Len (top) of the Hawks is charged with a foul as he falls over Austin Rivers of the Washington Wizards. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

John Collins finished with a career-high 26 points and also had 14 rebounds but the Hawks lost to the Wizards 131-117 at State Farm Arena Wednesday night.

Kent Bazemore added 22 points for the Hawks (5-20). Bazemore started in place of Taurean Prince, who injured his left ankle in Monday's loss to Golden State and will miss three weeks.

Bradley Beal scored a season-high 36 points, Otto Porter Jr. had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Washington win its third straight game,

Wizards star guard John Wall missed the game for personal reasons, but Washington still finished with a season-high 35 assists.

Beal, with nine assists and nine rebounds, was a matchup nightmare for the Hawks, who began the night with the NBA's third-worst record and lost their fourth straight.

Rookie guard Kevin Huerter was the first Hawks player assigned to guard Beal, and he was replaced early. Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce tried several combinations but nothing worked for long.

Beal drew Collins, a 6-foot-10 forward, out to guard him in the third quarter and quickly cut past him. Rookie point guard Trae Young closed in the lane too late as Beal drove for a layup and a 19-point lead.

Beal took the ball to the rim often enough to get to the foul line and hit 10 of 13 free throws. The Wizards finished 27 for 32 at the line.

The Hawks used a 45-point third, their highest-scoring quarter of the season, to pull within seven in the first minute of the fourth on Bazemore's jumper.

Young had a chance to make it a three-point game but missed a wild layup attempt at the 9:48 mark, and Tomas Satorsky followed with a 3-pointer to push the lead to eight.

Young, the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, took a hard spill 30 seconds later as he tried to shoot a 3 at the top of the arc, falling into Austin Rivers on the way down and getting his feet knocked out. Young landed on his back and stayed down before getting up to make two of three free throws.

Beal answered with a runner and hit a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to double digits.

Rivers started in Wall's spot and had nine points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

Hawks reserve guard Jeremy Lin left with a lower back strain and didn't return after playing four minutes.

Collins got his fourth double-double at the five-minute mark of the third.

The Hawks host Denver on Saturday.