Wizards at Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats snapped a five-game losing streak in the finale of a long road trip and look to build off it when they host the struggling Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Bobcats, who had lost by a total of 57 points in their previous two contests, beat Sacramento 113-103 on Saturday as Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson combined to score 57. Washington, which joins Charlotte in playoff position in the Eastern Conference, has dropped three straight while averaging only 87.3 points.
The Wizards, who had won five of six before their current slide, begin a three-game road trip that continues in New Orleans and Indiana. “Probably a good thing we get out of D.C. and try to find a way to get our chemistry back together and playing as a team,” Washington’s leading scorer John Wall told the Washington Post. Charlotte is third in the league in points against (95.8) and 27th in scoring (93.2).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), SportSouth (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (14-17): Wall, who went for at least 20 points in a career-high eight straight games, has cooled off with 25 points combined in the last two games for a Wizards’ offense that has been out of synch. Wall (19.7) and Bradley Beal (17.5) lead six players averaging double figures in scoring, but Washington was 19th overall in scoring through Sunday due to its inconsistency. Trevor Ariza, who is third on the team at 14.4 points, has totaled only 18 during the three-game losing streak.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (15-20): Walker bounced back from a rough game against Portland to make 12-of-19 from the field and score 30 against Sacramento while Jefferson had 10 of his season-high 27 points in the fourth quarter. Walker averages 18.4 points, Jefferson 17.4 and Gerald Henderson, who has scored in double figures 25 of his last 26 games, chips in with 15. Free-agent signing Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 30 points combined in his last two games after totaling 19 in his first seven outings with the Bobcats.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bobcats won three of the last four meetings with Washington, including both at home last season.
2. Wall stands third in the league in assists (8.8) and fourth in steals (2.06).
3. Charlotte F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, averaging 9.1 points, is recovering from a fractured left hand and could return in about a week.