Late-game collapses and key injuries derail the Wizards in Charlotte, as the Hornets' offense ignites in the final quarter.
Despite a solid first half and some key pieces returning to the lineup, the Washington Wizards' lack of adjustments plagued them all second half, leading to a 126-109 loss on the road against Charlotte.
CJ McCollum and Kyshawn George both had tough nights shooting the basketball, shooting a combined 6-27 from the field. Additionally, the Hornets had eight different players score in double figures.
The Hornets knocked down 20 three-pointers, with a plethora of those raining down in the final quarter of the game. Additionally, Bub Carrington and Corey Kispert both left the game with injuries.
Following a 2/10 start from the field to begin the game, Washington lit the torch and began finding its footing.
The Wizards used a 16-5 run in the first to take control. They came out in a 2-3 zone, which stymied the Hornets offense for a lot of the first. That, coupled with excellent rebounding from Alex Sarr. He finished with seven rebounds in the first quarter.
Carrington continued his hot shooting from the outside, knocking down his first two looks from the outside. He then picked up three fouls, which led to him being taken out. In the final quarter, he rolled up on himself and left the game only by the help of his teammates.
Kispert left the game in the third with hamstring tightness, and did not return.
The Wizards took a seven-point lead into the first break.
Bilal Coulibaly's return to the lineup saw an instant spark. He scored 11 points in the first half. Charlotte sagged off the three-point line, so he took advantage, knocking down multiple threes in the first half.
Additionally, Tre Johnson continued his stellar play from the floor. The Wizards have done a better job prioritizing offensive sets around him, setting him pin-down screens and other opportunities. He finished a team-high +11 in the first half.
Johnson's excellent first half didn't lead to much in the second half, as he only played one minute in the fourth quarter and five total minutes in the second half.
Washington held a three-point lead at the break. Sarr dominated on the glass with 10 rebounds in the half. He ended up only finishing with 11 in the game. On the other side, Moussa Diabate dominated with a game-high 18 rebounds and shot a perfect 6/6 from the field.
Sarr's prowess on the defensive end showed up massively throughout the game. Early in the third, he notched his fourth block of the game.
The Wizards utilized terrific bench production to keep pace throughout the night. Marvin Bagley's work off the pine was pivotal, as he was a perfect 4/4 from the field after three quarters. The Hornets outscored the Wizards 30-25 in the third quarter to take a slight advantage.
The Hornets' run pushed early into the fourth, sending the Wizards into a double-digit deficit.
The Wizards had no answer. Kon Knueppel caught fire from the outside and put the game away. The former number four overall pick made three of four threes in the game's final quarter. The leading rookie scorer in the NBA finished with 19 points.
Johnson, who was a team-high plus 10 for the Wizards, only played one minute in the final quarter.
Despite multiple timeouts called, Washington couldn't adjust and it was outscored 34-19 in the fourth quarter.