Inside The Wizards

Wizards Health, Resolve Leads to Win vs. Hornets

The Washington Wizards were healthy in their win against the Charlotte Hornets.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) shoots the ball over Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) shoots the ball over Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are back in the win column after a 123-114 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night inside Capital One Arena.

It shouldn't be considered a coincidence that the win came on the same night that the Wizards saw Malcolm Brogdon, Corey Kispert and Kyshawn George return to the floor after missing the last few games with their respective injuries. The trio combined to score 41 of Washington's 47 bench points, including a season-high 25 from Brogdon.

Brogdon had a command on the second unit that was lacking in the games where he was absent, and he proved exactly why the Wizards acquired him in the first place. Having Brogdon on the floor to set the table and put his younger teammates in positions to succeed will help the Wizards tremendously.

The win is a reminder that the Wizards are on the right path despite the heavy avalanche of losing that came before and will likely come after. However, it's a sign that the Wizards are moving in the right direction.

A big part of the Wizards' struggles this season have been due to poor health, but now that the team is healthy, it will be intriguing to see how well it can do with more players available. If the team can piece together a few more wins in the next couple weeks, it could lead to them getting more value ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline for players like Brogdon, who may be on their way out.

Brogdon and the Wizards are back in action tomorrow night when they take on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks on the road. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from the Fiserv Forum.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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