Charlotte Hornets have a winnable game on deck with road trip to visit Wizards

The Hornets face one team that actually has a weaker record than they do.

Dec 16, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (4) dunks during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images / Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Following a somewhat disappointing loss, the Charlotte Hornets are back in action tonight on the first night of a back-to-back. With a rematch with the Philadelphia 76ers looming, the Hornets must start this two-game stretch off well.

Fortunately, they're playing the team with the worst record in the NBA. The Washington Wizards have just three wins, which makes Charlotte's total of seven look a lot better than it is. Neither of these teams is in contention, but this is a game the Hornets need to win to get moving in the right direction.

Injury Report

Several hours ahead of tip-off, here's what the injury report looks like for the Hornets:

QUESTIONABLE: Brandon Miller (ankle). OUT: Mark Williams (knee), Tre Mann (back).

For the Wizards, these players are on the injury report tonight:

QUESTIONABLE: Kyle Kuzma (ribs), Malcolm Brodgon (hamstring), Corey Kispert (ankle), Kyshawn George (ankle). OUT: Saddiq Bey (knee).

Game Preview

The Hornets may be fortunate enough to have their regular starting five back out there. They lost Brandon Miller down the stretch of the last game to an ankle sprain, but he's questionable to play tonight. The last game was the first time their preferred starting five was on the floor together.

Whether or not Miller plays, this is still a winnable game. The Wizards have been scoring 0.4 points more per game than the Hornets, but that number is diluted by a laundry list of injuries the Hornets have sustained. The Wizards have the NBA's lowest offensive rating, while Charlotte ranks 26th.

On defense, the Hornets should have another advantage. Washington is second-worst in defensive rating, while the Hornets are 20th. A net rating of -14.9 puts the Wiz again in last place, and Charlotte is 26th with -6.2. That's not a good number, but it's far better than Washington's.

Key Matchup - LaMelo Ball vs. Wizards guards

LaMelo Ball returned to the lineup last time out and shot the ball 15 times, a pretty low mark for him. Whether it was extra defensive attention or just trying to ramp up after missing seven games, Ball wasn't shooting as much as he usually does. That should change tonight.

Ball could be in line for a big game. He will presumably be guarded at times by both Jordan Poole and Malcolm Brogdon. The latter has the second-worst defensive rating for the Wizards (119.7) and Poole is not far behind at 118.7. Poole has the 459th-ranked defensive rating in the NBA, and Brogdon is much worse at 470 out of 502 players.

They won't be able to stop Ball, who should be able to penetrate with ease. Interior players Kyle Kuzma, Alex Sarr, and Marvin Bagley have good defensive ratings, but they'll be in a lot of two-on-one situations with Hornets bigs and Ball. That's a recipe for a big game for the point guard.

Projected Starting Lineup

Since Brandon Miller isn't ruled out yet, we'll project the wing in the lineup. If he doesn't play, look for Seth Curry or Cody Martin to slide in at the two-guard spot.

Position	Hornets	Wizards
PG	LaMelo Ball	Jordan Poole
SG	Brandon Miller	Malcolm Brogdon
SF	Josh Green	Bilal Coulibaly
PF	Miles Bridges	Kyle Kuzma
C	Mark Williams	Alex Sarr

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