ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta newcomers CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert combined for 58 points against their former team on Thursday night, leading the Hawks to a 126-96 win against the Washington Wizards.
It was the second of a two-game home series for the Hawks against the team to which they traded Trae Young in January. The Hawks received McCollum and Kispert in exchange — a decision that paid off in this one.
Kispert scored 22 of his career-high 33 points in the first half, subbing in with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter and promptly going 5 for 5 beyond the 3-point arc over the next 10 minutes. He finished the night 6 of 11 on 3-point attempts.
McCollum, who has worked his way into the starting lineup since arriving, scored 25 points and had six rebounds and three assists. The veteran guard made a 27-foot 3 pointer and a subsequent free throw right before half, extending Atlanta's lead to 75-56.
Dyson Daniels added 13 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and tied a season high with five steals.
Will Riley and Tre Johnson led the Wizards with 14 points apiece. Anthony Davis and Young, who the Wizards traded for earlier this season, were both sidelined with injuries.
Jonathan Kuminga and Zaccharie Risacher started in place of All-Star Jalen Johnson (hip) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (foot).
Wizards: Host Toronto on Saturday night.
Hawks: Host Portland on Sunday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Atlanta Hawks guard Rayj Dennis (0) drives against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Hawks forward Corey Kispert (24) shoots against Washington Wizards guard Will Riley (27) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) drives against Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who disappeared after U.S. Border Patrol agents dropped him off at a Buffalo doughnut shop was found dead on the street five days later, prompting a police investigation and complaints from city officials that he'd been abandoned without care for his safety.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was detained by Border Patrol agents on Feb. 19 after his release from a county jail, but was let go that same day after federal authorities determined he wasn't eligible for deportation.
The agents brought him to a Tim Hortons restaurant north of Buffalo's downtown and dropped him there, authorities and advocates said. His family, which had initially expected him to walk out of jail, wasn't informed he had been released. Shah Alam's lawyer reported him missing to Buffalo police on Feb. 22 after learning that an area immigration detention center didn't have him in custody.
Shah Alam was found dead Tuesday night near the downtown sports arena where the NHL's Buffalo Sabres play. It was unclear how he got there from the Tim Hortons, several miles away, or when he died.
The county medical examiner was investigating the cause of death, health officials said Thursday. The Buffalo Police Department told reporters that the medical examiner had concluded that the death was “health related” and ruled out exposure or homicide, but the Erie County Department of Health later disputed that account, saying no determination had been made. Detectives were investigating the events leading up to Shah Alam's death, which was first reported by the Investigative Post.
Khaleda Shah, a family friend and spokesperson, said the family wants justice.
“We do not want his death to just go to waste,” she said Thursday at Shah Alam's funeral. “We want his death to bring awareness to his community, his family, his community at large. We want his name, his story to be a voice for those who are still suffering.”
Buffalo’s mayor, a Democrat, blamed Shah Alam's death at least partly on a “dereliction of duty” by federal agents, saying they shouldn’t have left him alone, miles from his home.
“A vulnerable man — nearly blind and unable to speak English — was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location. That decision from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane,” Mayor Sean Ryan said in a statement.
Ryan said Shah Alam had been wearing orange booties issued by the county holding center, rather than proper shoes suitable for winter weather.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended its actions.
“Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station,” it said in a statement. “He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance.”
During the days Shah Alam was missing, temperatures in Buffalo fell below freezing and light snow fell.
Shah Alam arrived in the United States with his wife and two of his children in December 2024 in search of opportunity for his family, said Imran Fazal, who knows the family and founded a group called the Rohingya Empowerment Community. He had worked in construction for many years previously in Malaysia.
Buffalo police arrested Shah Alam a year ago after an incident that resulted in minor injuries to two officers. He was initially indicted on charges of assault, burglary and criminal mischief, according to Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane. Prosecutors said he had two metal poles when he approached the officers.
Fazal said the arrest was a misunderstanding based on the language barrier and cultural differences, and that Shah Alam had been taking shelter from the snow near a house at the time. He also said Shah Alam cannot walk properly without a cane. Shah Alam ultimately pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to misdemeanor charges of trespassing and possession of a weapon and was scheduled to be sentenced in March.
Keane, the district attorney, said he had offered a reduced plea "in the interest of justice.” One factor in the decision was avoiding the mandatory deportation that would result from a felony conviction, he said.
Fazal said the family was able to post bail and went to the county jail Feb. 19 expecting Shah Alam to be freed.
“The family was waiting in the waiting room,” Fazal said. “They were thinking he was just coming out.”
But since federal Border Patrol had lodged an immigration detainer after his arrest, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office followed standard practice and informed the federal agency about his pending release.
Ryan said Shah Alam was initially taken to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, which did not take him.
Shah Alam's family searched for him after his attorney was notified about the nighttime drop-off at a Tim Hortons, but could not locate him, said Fazal.
Fazal called it "a complete failure of the system.”
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, sent a letter to federal officials demanding a full accounting of the actions taken by agents. New York Attorney General Letitia James, also a Democrat, said her office is reviewing its legal options.
This image made from video provided by WKBW.COM shows a family friend holding a missing person flyer for Nurul Amin Shah Alam, while sitting with other family friends including Khaleda Shah, second from right, and MD Karim, far right, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (WKBW.COM via AP)
