Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards Preview: Prediction, odds, and more for 2023-24 NBA Season (November 8)

The Charlotte Hornets host the Washington Wizards at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8, in a bid to get another win against the latter who are languishing at the bottom of the table in the East. The Wizards were handed a 148-126 drubbing earlier, while the Hornets are coming off a 124-118 loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. Now, the inter-conference clash will see one of them trying to shrug off their poor start.

The Wizards were supposed to be a more improved unit the Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma, but the results haven't been in their favor, as their defense has been their bane so far. The Hornets have blown hot and cold with LaMelo Ball's sine wave-like run in all of the games he's played so far. Come Wednesday, they enter the matchup with homecourt advantage — one they will hope to capitalize on.

---

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards Game Details

Teams: Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards

Date and time: November 8, 2023, 7:10 p.m. ET

Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte

---

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards preview and injury report

Despite their impressive efforts on the offensive end, the Wizards could not stop the Sixers who blew past them. Their defense and their turnovers have been their Achilles heel this season. Much of the focus has been on Kyle Kuzma who leads the side averaging 23.7 points and 6.5 rebounds. Poole is propping up 18.5 points and 3.7 assists, while Deni Avdija is the third scoring option with 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.

As for the Hornets, there are a few injury concerns to start with. There is no timetable for Cody Martin's (knee) return after he played just seven games last season and has been off the floor since Jan. 14. Frank Ntilkina (leg) is out until late November. James Bouknight (knee) is expected to be out until mid-November, and Miles Bridges continues to serve a suspension and is eligible to return to action on Nov. 17 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Rozier (groin) is questionable.

Then comes the form and consistency of Ball himself. With much of the supporting cast on the injury list, the point guard will have to do a major portion of the scoring. He is still pivotal for Charlotte, but the question is if he will get enough from his teammates.

---

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards odds and prediction

Spread: Hornets (-4) vs Wizards (+4)

Moneyline: Hornets (-180) vs Wizards (+152)

Total (o/u): 240

With both teams off to poor starts, the Hornets will bank on Ball and home advantage to salvage a win. They will take note of the fact that Washington has just two scoring options in Kuzma and Poole as well. Expect this to go the Hornets' way.

---

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards: Predicted starting lineups

The Hornets will likely start with Brandon Miller and Lamelo Ball at PG and SG. Gordon Hayward comes in at the 3, PJ Washington Jr. and Mark Williams complete the rest.

The Wizards will have Jordan Poole at point. Tyus Jones comes in as shooting guard, while Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija share forward duties. Daniel Gafford comes in at the five.

---

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards: Top 3 players to watch out for

Hornets

Terry Rozier: 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists

The Hornets have seen some scintillating play from Rozier who has emerged as the team's leading scorer. With him listed as probable, the side will hope that he returns and maintains the form that had before being sidelined by an injury.

PJ Washington: 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists

Washington has been one of the more reliable offensive players for the side. His ability to power through to the rim makes him a treat to watch and the Charlotte Hornets will look to him for pushing through in crunch situations.

LaMelo Ball: 17.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 9.3 assists

LaMelo Ball has been an integral piece in the team's plans and while he's been inconsistent so far this season, he has proved that he can have prolonged stretches where his scoring is a massive threat.

Wizards

Kyle Kuzma: 23.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists

Kyle Kuzma has been the team's leader and has led from the front in the scoring department. The forward will be the one to watch out for to see if he continues his good streak.

Jordan Poole: 18.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists

Poole was looked at as the team's offensive weapon but is yet to fire up and notch up more points on the board. The former Warriors star is expected to have a breakout season, and only time will tell if that happens.

Deni Avdija: 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists

Deni Avdija has slotted himself as the team's third scoring option. With vital contributions on both ends of the floor, the forward is one of the bankable stars in the team.