The Washington Wizards have had a challenging season, but they have a rare opportunity to secure back-to-back victories when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
The Wizards have only seven wins this season, the most recent being a 105-103 road victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Kyle Kuzma led the way with a season-high 31 points, snapping a 16-game losing streak and improving Washington’s road record to 2-21.
Achieving consecutive wins has been a rare feat for the Wizards, who have managed it just once this season, back in late October. The 103 points allowed against Minnesota marked the lowest total the Wizards have conceded this season, providing a glimmer of hope.
With the franchise record of 67 losses from last season looming, Washington is keen to build on this recent win as they already have 41 losses before the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets are also struggling, extending their losing streak to four games with a 107-104 home loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Despite rallying from a 16-point deficit in the second half to take a four-point lead with less than a minute to play, the Hornets were ultimately undone by the Nuggets’ final seven points.
Charlotte coach Charles Lee remains positive and continues to motivate his team. The return of center Mark Williams after missing two games with a left foot injury was a bright spot. Williams contributed 20 points and 15 rebounds.
However, the Hornets’ backcourt may face further challenges as Vasilije Micic departed Saturday’s game with an injured left ankle. LaMelo Ball (ankle) is also out, with his return not expected until midweek at the earliest.
The Wizards celebrated a milestone over the weekend as swingman Corey Kispert reached the 3,000-point mark for his career in his 274th game. It remains unclear if Washington will have center Alex Sarr available, as he has missed the past three games with an ankle injury.
One of Washington’s wins this season came against the Hornets, a 113-110 home victory on December 26. Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 25 points in that game but has only reached that mark three times since then, struggling with consistency.
As the Wizards look to string together consecutive wins and the Hornets aim to break their losing streak, Monday’s game promises to be a competitive showdown.
