Wizards collect road win over Hornets
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- John Wall scored 24 points and Markieff Morris added 23, and the Washington Wizards rolled to a 109-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night at the Spectrum Center.
Wall outplayed Charlotte's Kemba Walker in a head-to-head battle of All-Star hopeful point guards. He had 18 points in the first half, helping the Wizards pull out to a 12-point halftime lead. Walker scored 21 points but struggled, going 7 of 24 from the field.
The Wizards (24-20) have now won five of their last six. They were in control throughout the game, leading by as many as 16 points in the third quarter and 15 midway through the fourth.
Morris finished 8 of 13 from the field when the Wizards shot 53.8 percent from the floor. They were 10 of 25 from 3-point range.
Bradley Beal added 18 points for the Wizards. Otto Porter Jr. finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 10.
The Hornets (23-22) had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Besides Walker's 21, the Hornets got 18 points from Marco Belinelli nad 13 each from Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller. Nicolas Batum was held to four points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field.
The Hornets shot just 38.9 percent from the field.
The Wizards led 30-22 after one quarter, 60-48 at halftime and 80-74 after three quarters.
NOTES: Washington won the only previous meeting this season, 109-106 in Washington on Dec. 14. The teams will meet two more times. ... The Wizards were without F Danuel House Jr. (fractured wrist) and C Ian Mahinmi (platelet rich plasma treatment). ... The Hornets were without Jeremy Lamb (metatarsal inflammation). ... Charlotte was playing the fourth game of a five-game homestand and coming off a 112-105 win over Brooklyn on Saturday. ... The Wizards were closing out a three-game road trip. They lost at Detroit 113-112 on Saturday. ... Washington SF Otto Porter came into the game leading the NBA in 3-point percentage at 45.4 percent. ... Wizards G John Wall came into the game second in the NBA in steals at 2.24, and he had at least one steal in 31 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the league. ... Washington will return home to host Boston on Tuesday. Charlotte will close out the homestand on Wednesday against Golden State.