 improved to 3-0 against the Wizards this season. Charlotte jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first half and matched its season high with 17 3-pointers in its third consecutive win. Marvin Williams scored 15 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 14.Washington returned from the All-Star break with a rousing 110-103 win at Cleveland on Thursday, but could not keep the momentum going despite All-Star Bradley Beal scoring 33 points.The loss dropped the Wizards (34-25) into a fourth-place tie with Indiana in the Eastern Conference.Charlotte scored 28 points off Washington's 14 turnovers. Led by Kaminsky, the Hornets' reserves outscored the Wizards' backups 50-26.The first two head-to-head meetings took place in Charlotte, including a 133-109 rout on Jan. 17 as the Hornets set a franchise record with 77 first-half points.Only by comparison did their first half on Friday appear unimpressive. The Hornets made nine 3-pointers on their way to a 67-55 halftime lead even though Walker was scoreless until sinking a free throw following a Beal technical with 57.8 seconds remaining in the second quarter.Washington closed to 75-69 in the third quarter when one of Beal's three 3-pointers capped a 9-0 run, but the rally fizzled from there. Charlotte entered the fourth quarter up 12 and held its largest lead at 122-100.Otto Porter had 16 points and Markieff Morris scored 13 for the Wizards, who have 10 losses against teams with losing records this season.TIP-INSHornets: The win streak matches their season high set three previous times, most recently Jan. 31-Feb. 4. Charlotte defeated Brooklyn 111-96 on Thursday. ... C Dwight Howard received his 12th technical foul this season in the third quarter, matching Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook for second behind Golden State's Draymond Green (14).Wizards: G Ramon Sessions signed a 10-day contract. The 11-year veteran was waived in January by New York, his eighth NBA team. Sessions played in 110 regular season games for Washington from 2015-16 along with 10 games during the 2015 playoffs. He provides additional point guard depth with John Wall (knee surgery) out another three to five weeks.UP NEXTHornets: Host Detroit on Sunday.Wizards: Host Philadelphia on Sunday.)
Feb 23, 2018 WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards returned from the All-Star break with a rousing road victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.It may take a similar effort for a repeat Friday night at home based on their struggles against the Charlotte Hornets this season.Thursday's meeting with the LeBron James-led Cavaliers put the Wizards in the underdog mode especially with Cleveland's three-game winning streak after a series of deals at the NBA trade deadline. The scenario played out as expected early.Washington (34-24) trailed by 12 points, but the Wizards entered halftime up 57-54 and took control with a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter for their third win in a row.All-Star guard Bradley Beal had 18 points and nine assists. Tomas Satoransky and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 17 points as the Wizards improved to 8-2 in 10 games since losing John Wall to a knee injury. Washington, one-half game behind Cleveland for third in the East, outscored the Cavaliers 35-23 in the second quarter."It was a great team effort," Beal said. "We know the games after the break and the games before the break are always the toughest ones to get, especially in an environment like this, playing against a team like this. It was definitely a challenge for us and the rest of the year will be a challenge for us. We kept our poise, didn't let their runs affect us." Charlotte (25-33) defeated the Brooklyn Nets 111-96 on Thursday behind 31 points from All-Star Kemba Walker and 24 rebounds by Dwight Howard. The Hornets outscored the Nets in the fourth quarter 31-22, hit 11 of 21 3-pointers and dominated the boards 54-41.Howard also had 15 points for Charlotte as all five starters scored in double figures."You're talking about a guy that's had major knee surgery and major back surgery," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said of Howard. "You'd never know it." The Hornets won both previous meetings this season against Washington, including a dominate 133-109 victory in Charlotte on Jan. 17. Charlotte set a franchise-record with 77 first-half points in the rout. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 21 points and Howard finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds."I think we just came out with a lot of energy, we moved the ball, we got out on the break and we got stops on defense and that led to easy points on the offensive end," Howard said after the January win.Satoransky, filling in for the injured Wall, finished with 17 points, eight assists and zero turnovers Thursday."That is great, that is awesome," Beal said of his new backcourt partner. "He's just giving us a chance. We don't want John out, but with him being out, he's playing a lot of minutes. He's being himself and that's exciting to see."He was drafted with me so I'm happy to see my boy come in and do what he do best. It's just amazing to see his development constantly being made. He puts in work each and every day and it's showing on the court." Wall had surgery Jan. 31 and was slated to miss 6-to-8 weeks.
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