The Wizards are coming into this one after losing to the Brooklyn Nets, 113-107. Washington struggled on the offensive end of the court, as they only shot 43.8% from the floor. They have to be more efficient with the ball in their hands if they want to challenge the Hornets on the road.

Charlotte is entering this game after losing to the Boston Celtics 140-105. The Hornets were not good on the defensive end of the court, as they will need to create more stops if they want to give the Wizards a run for their money at home.

The Washington Wizards are currently in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings, but they still trail the first-place Boston Celtics by seven games. On offense, the Wizards are scoring 110.4 points per game and they have shot 47.2% from the field. This is the 21st most points scored per game and the 13th-highest team shooting percentage. According to dunksadnthrees.com, the Wizards have an adjusted offensive rating of 111.6, which is the 17th-highest offensive rating in the NBA. Bradley Beal continues to lead the way for Washington, as he is scoring 23.6 points per game on 52.2% shooting from the field. The Wizards have also shown that they aren’t afraid to attack the basket or step behind the arc to attempt deep threes. They are shooting 34.1% from deep, which is the 20th-highest team three-point shooting percentage in the league. Washington will also have to be better at the free-throw line, as they are only shooting 77.2% at the charity stripe. This is the 21st-lowest percentage in the NBA, as they can’t miss out on these free looks at the rim and still expect to win these games.
On the defensive end of the court, the Wizards have consistently contested shots near the rim and on the perimeter. They are currently allowing 111.5 points per game and their opponents have shot 45.3% from the floor. This is the 12th least amount of points allowed per contest and the fourth-lowest shooting percentage allowed from the field. According to dunksandthrees.com, the Wizards have an adjusted defensive rating of 112.4, which is the 15th-lowest rating in the NBA. Their perimeter defense has lacked at different times, though. They have allowed their opponents to shoot 36.8% from deep, which is the 25th-highest three-point shooting percentage allowed in the league. They have to contest more shots and apply more pressure behind the three-point arc if they want to get consistent stops. Washington has also snatched 44.2 rebounds per game, which is the 10th most. They have to clean the glass and secure the ball if they want to keep the Hornets from scoring second-chance points.

Injury Report: Rui Hachimura PF (Ankle) and Delon Wright PG (Hamstring) are listed as out.

The Charlotte Hornets are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings and they are 11.5 games back from the Boston Celtics. They will have to start stacking some wins if they want to climb back into the playoff picture. On offense, the Hornets are scoring 109.2 points per game and they have shot 44.6% from the floor. This is the 25th most points scored per game and the third-lowest team shooting percentage. According to dunksandhtrees.com, Charlotte has an adjusted offensive rating of 106.3, which is the lowest rating in the NBA. They have struggled to score inside the paint and they have been even worse from three-point land. The Hornets are shooting 32% from deep, which is the second-lowest shooting percentage in the league. Kelly Oubre Jr. continues to lead this team, as he is scoring 19.7 points per game on 43.6% shooting from the field. The Hornets have also struggled at the free-throw line, as they have knocked down 72.7% of their shots at the stripe. This is the 27th-highest team free-throw shooting percentage, as they have to knock down these shots if they want to keep these games competitive.
On defense, the Hornets are surrendering 115.4 points per game and their opponents have shot 47.1% from the floor. This is the 22nd most points allowed per contest and the 18th-highest shooting percentage given up from the field. According to dunksandthrees.com, the Hornets have an adjusted defensive rating of 112.2, which is the 14th-lowest defensive rating in the NBA. Luckily, they have shown that they will apply pressure and contest shots on the perimeter. They are only allowing their opponents to shoot 33.4% from deep, which is the fourth-lowest three-point shooting percentage allowed. The Hornets are also grabbing 45.5 rebounds per game, which is the sixth most in the league.

Injury Report: Dennis Smith Jr PG (Ankle), Terry Rozier SG (Illness) are listed as questionable. LaMelo Ball PG (Ankle), Gordon Hayward SF (Shoulder), and Cody Martin PF (Knee) are listed as out.