Wizards 96, Hornets 87
Wizards 96, Hornets 87: John Wall scored 14 of his season-high 29 points in the third quarter as host Washington won its fourth straight home game.
Wall shot 12-for-15, hit all three of his 3-pointers - after making only three total in his first 30 games - and had nine assists to help the Wizards improve to 14-4 in their last 18 home games. Martell Webster added 18 points.
Eric Gordon scored 20 points to lead New Orleans, which has dropped 10 of 13. Greivis Vasquez contributed 18 points and nine assists.
The game was deadlocked at 50 at the break but Wall was too much for the Hornets in the third. He had the first basket of the quarter, hit a jumper midway through to give Washington a 62-56 edge and scored the Wizards' final six points to make it 74-64 entering the fourth.
The Hornets got within 83-76 midway through the final frame before Wall reentered the game, and immediately keyed a 10-3 run. He had an assist on a Kevin Seraphin hoop, a layup and then another assist on Garrett Temple's basket with 2:51 left that made it 93-79.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Wizards SG Bradley Beal missed his sixth straight game with a sprained left ankle. ... Wall's 29 points matches a season high for Washington. Beal had 29 against the New York Knicks on March 1. ... Hornets F Ryan Anderson scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. He missed the Hornets' loss at Brooklyn on Tuesday due to an illness.