Wizards at Hornets
Kemba Walker is experiencing a torrid stretch and the Charlotte point
guard strives to produce another strong effort when the Hornets host the
Washington Wizards on Wednesday. Walker is averaging 24.4 points over
the past five games and tallied a season-best 39 in Monday's 127-122
overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Walker is shooting 58.4 percent from the field during his hot streak and goes up against Wizards star John Wall in Wednesday's contest. Wall has been limited to single digits in two of the past five games and both his 20-point outings came in October. The Wizards had a three-game winning streak halted on Tuesday when they allowed 19 3-pointers in a 123-106 home loss to the Indiana Pacers. Charlotte is 3-0 during a seven-game homestand but the first three opponents - Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Sacramento - all have losing records.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), FSN Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (6-5): Washington ran into a hot shooting duo as the Pacers went 19-of-26 from 3-point range with C.J. Miles making 8-of-9 while scoring 32 points and Paul George going 7-of-8 while scoring a season-best 40. "We have to let this one go," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said afterward. "I thought our guys played hard, I don't have a problem with that. We just ran into a hot team shooting the ball." Washington backup guard Gary Neal had his best game of the season with season highs of 23 points and five 3-pointers.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (8-6): Rookie center Frank Kaminsky has begun contributing off the bench and is averaging 9.7 points on 12-of-18 shooting over the past three games. The ninth overall selection of the 2015 NBA draft struggled at the outset of the season but is now more comfortable. "The first couple games, as a rookie especially, you don’t really know what your role is," Kaminsky told reporters. "Trying to feel things out, where you fit in, what your spots are, what it takes day in and day out, night by night, you just have to figure things out. Now I know what to expect going in game to game."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split four meetings last season.
2. Washington F Nene is 12-of-13 shooting over the past two games while averaging 14.5 points during the stretch.
3. Charlotte SG Nicolas Batum (stomach virus) is questionable for Wednesday's game.