A four-game homestand awaits the Charlotte Hornets right out of the All-Star Break gates as they return to the court to take on the Washington Wizards beginning tonight at 7 p.m. ET.
Washington knocked off the Hornets in a 130-126 shootout at home back on Dec. 29, withstanding a 47-point explosion by Kemba Walker. The Wizards shot 51.6 percent from the field, scored 21 points off 16 Charlotte turnovers and through Feb. 20, sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and just 3.5 games back of the Hornets
Although Charlotte has dropped four of its last five outings, one major bright spot has been the play of Cody Zeller, who looks noticeably springier and reenergized after sitting out all of January with a broken right hand. Since returning from the surgery, Zeller is averaging 11.2 PPG on 52.9 FG%, 9.6 RPG (4.2 ORPG; third best in the NBA), 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG over this five-game span (three starts).
Against Zeller, the visiting Wizards will turn to a fellow Indiana University product in Thomas Bryant, a second-year center they claimed off waivers from the Lakers back in July. Bryant finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 10 rebounds against the Hornets earlier this season and on the year, is averaging 9.7 PPG on 63.8 FG% and 5.7 RPG in 48 appearances (42 starts).
Washington scored 64 paint points on 66.7 percent shooting back on Dec. 29, two numbers that are far too high for Coach Borrego’s liking. Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and other members of the Charlotte frontcourt need to make scoring at the rim far more difficult for the Wizards if they want to even out a potentially vital season series at 1-1.
Game Note – Charlotte’s upcoming four-game homestand will take place over the span of just six days… The Wizards went 3-7 over their final 10 games heading into the All-Star Break… Washington’s Bradley Beal (25.1 PPG) and Kemba Walker (24.9 PPG) are ranked 11th and 12th in the NBA in scoring, respectively… The Hornets have won three straight at home against the Wizards.
Classic Fact – The Hornets allowed just six fourth-quarter points in their 101-87 home win over the Wizards on Nov. 25, 2015, the fewest allowed in any quarter in franchise history. In the past five NBA seasons, there have only been three other instances of a team holding another team to six-or-fewer points in a single quarter.