Dennis Schröder has secured another victory with the Charlotte Hornets. It was another close call against the Washington Wizards, with the Braunschweig native not having his best day.
Schröder had previously set an NBA record against the Miami Heat by scoring at least 25 points in a game for his ninth different team; this time, however, the German point guard had to settle for eight points (4/15 FG, 0/5 three-pointers) and five assists. On the other hand, the 33-year-old did not commit a single turnover in just under 36 minutes.
In the second half, Schröder scored just two points, both coming from a lay-up just under four minutes from the end, when Charlotte were leading 100–87 once again. Subsequently, however, the visitors from Washington went on another 10–3 run spearheaded by Kyshawn George, and Trae Young’s floater with just under a minute to go made for a real nail-biter.
But, just as against Miami, the Hornets kept their nerve and once again Brandon Miller was on hand, easing the pressure with a turnaround jumper and adding a free throw shortly afterwards. The Wizards, on the other hand, ran out of luck from the field after they’d fought their way back into the game with five three-pointers in a row.
Hornets dominate under the basket
Miller was the standout performer on the court with a career-high 39 points (15/28 FG, 5/10 three-pointers), whilst Moussa Diabate (11 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Naz Reid (18 points, 8/22, 12 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles. Thanks to them, the Hornets scored 26 points off offensive rebounds, with the Frenchman alone securing eleven second-chance opportunities. Hannes Steinbach was once again left out of the line-up, whilst fellow rookie Christian Anderson Jr. managed at least one three-pointer in eleven minutes (3 points, 1/3 FG, 4 rebounds, 1 steal).
For the Wizards, Anthony Davis (29, 11/22, 10 rebounds) was the top scorer; it was he who sparked the comeback with two three-pointers in quick succession. Trae Young contributed 22 points (10/20) and ten assists, whilst George also broke the 20-point mark. Top pick AJ Dybantsa remained sidelined with an ankle injury.
The Hornets are currently second in the East with a 3-1 record, whilst the Wizards stand at 2-2. The two teams will meet again on Saturday night in the NBA Cup, this time in D.C. In the meantime, Charlotte will travel to Detroit to face the only team in the Eastern Conference yet to have lost a game.