Washington Wizards Beat Charlotte Hornets, 98-92
Summary
Brandon Miller got his first-ever start as a Hornet when Charlotte visited the Washington Wizards for the Hornets' second preseason game of their 2023-24 schedule, which ultimately ended in a 98-92 loss for Charlotte.
Though the surrounding drama with the Hornets' suspended Miles Bridges or the recently waived Kai Jones was a whisper in the wind, Charlotte kept their heads down with a lead over Washington for almost the entire game until the Wizards made a comeback in the final minutes — something of a déjà vu fourth-quarter comeback, similar to what happened in Tuesday's loss to Miami.
But things got off to an exciting start for the Hornets on Thursday when they blasted off on a 14-0 run over the Wizards in the first three minutes, including early triples by LaMelo Bell and Terry Rozier. A Mark Williams dunk followed, turning the energy up further. Wizards starting guard Kyle Kuzma helped Washington attempt to claw back late in the opening quarter, the first twelve ending with a 30-23 Charlotte lead.
It didn't help for Charlotte that new Hornet Frank Ntilikina continued his streak of taking spotty shots. Still, Charlotte led by as many as 11 as the second quarter progressed, the Wizards struggling from behind the arc. Washington's Daniel Gafford made an explosive dunk with 4 minutes left to go in the half, but he got a technical for hanging on the rim. Miller subsequently took flight with a nasty dunk that sent Gafford to the floor, with Miller getting called for a charge. Charlotte scored 22 points in the second quarter, leaving it at a 52-45 Hornet lead at halftime.
Ntilikina started the second half in Ball's place as the Hornets struggled with shot selection, though keeping a lead that extended to 14 at one point. Nick Richards, Bryce McGowens, and Nick Smith Jr. got minutes off the bench, and the Hornets led by 12 with 8 minutes to go in the game. That's where things soon took a turn, however. The Wizards tied it up at 86 with a little over three minutes to go, eventually extending their lead to 96-88. And the Hornets couldn't come back to even it up.
Best of the Night: Miller Time
Brandon Miller, delivering on his promise as a No. 2 overall draft pick and a new hope for Charlotte, looked focused and comfortable in his rebounding and shooting, even if his shooting was only half-effective early on. But once Miller heated up, things really got going, and he showed just how special he could be for this Hornets squad. That dunk over Gafford was such a whopper — even if it was deemed an offensive charge — that Gafford appeared to laugh after he got up.
Worst of the Night: Hornets Dropped the Ball
Undoubtedly, it's frustrating for Hornets fans when Charlotte can't execute a winning game in the final minutes after leading by as much as 15. The only time the Wizards led before the end was 2-0 right after tipoff. It would've been a morale boost for Charlotte to log a win, especially with such an exciting night for Miller. But in the end, Charlotte let things slip and lost the game by just 6 points.
Highlight of the Night: Brandon Miller Dunks on Daniel Gafford
Injury Update
The Hornets' Gordon Hayward was out on Thursday with right foot discomfort, giving Miller his chance to start. McGowens was made available after missing Tuesday's game with a left ankle injury. Washington's Anthony Gill was out with a strained hamstring.
Up Next: The Hornets are set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder at home in Charlotte on Sunday, Oct 15th, at 5 p.m.
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