The Washington Wizards lost to the Charlotte Hornets 110-103 on Monday night, despite getting 29 points and 10 rebounds from Anthony Davis. The future Hall of Famer played like a superstar, but it wasn’t enough. Washington won by six with AD on the floor, but the offense was dreadful. The Wizards were relying heavily on Davis isolations. That isn’t a recipe to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Trae Young chipped in 22 points and 10 assists. The Wizards lost the star guard’s minutes by five, and he is the only true shot creator on the roster. Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George scored in double figures. The rest of the roster combined for 20 points and struggled to make anything in Charlotte.
Davis is a superstar. He is the Wizards’ best player since John Wall and is reigniting the crowd in the nation’s capital. He is averaging over 20 points per game, despite still finding his footing with his new team. There are injury questions, but AD will be elite when he’s on the floor. Davis alone can’t make the Wizards a contender, and Young and George being the only ones providing help is simply not enough.
Anthony Davis put the Wizards on his back
AD finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal in 35 minutes of action in Charlotte. He made 11 of his 22 field goal attempts, and the Wizards outscored the Hornets by six with Davis on the floor. It was a superstar performance that produced the highlight of the season thus far for Washington.
TRAE LOBS IT UP...
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2026
AD THROWS IT DOWN💥 pic.twitter.com/4pkOjNqsaV
The chemistry with Ice Trae is growing. The star guard is starting to find AD in advantageous areas and making his life easier. Young and George were the only one on Monday night. There were way too many Davis iso plays because the Wizards couldn’t generate a good look any other way.
It wasn’t Washington’s night. AD shined, but he needed more help for the Wizards to get a win on the road against a team known for playing hard and spacing the floor.
Young talent struggles in Wizards loss to the Hornets
Washington had four players show up in Charlotte. AD had 23. Young chipped in 22, with Sarr and George combining for 32. The rest of the roster couldn’t buy a bucket. The Wizards made just nine of 28 3-pointers and had just two makes in the first 36 minutes. Nobody was stepping up to help Davis.
Justin Champagnie’s injury forced head coach Brian Keefe to go deeper into his bench. Of the six reserves who played on Monday night, Washington got just 17 points on seven of 18 shooting from the field. That is why they only mustered 103 points in a disappointing loss.
The Hornets are a rebuilding squad dealing with injuries. Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Grant Williams were all out. Washington didn’t have AJ Dybantsa, but this is the type of game a contender finds a way to win. Davis tried his best, but simply didn’t get enough help.
Wizards must decide what matters this season
AD is in the final guaranteed year of his contract and deserves a massive extension. Washington wants to win and get back to the playoffs. They need to quickly decide if they are prioritizing growth of the young talent or winning games. Davis and Young give them a shot to contend. The rest of the roster must help to make it a reality.
Kyshawn George is proving to be a strong role player. He is overtasked in his current secondary creation role, but he can make an impact on both ends of the floor.
Bilal Coulibaly shouldn’t be a starter. The Wizards need contributors off the bench. They can’t rely on Trae Young to create everything, with AD isolation plays being the number two option.
The Wizards have to trade for more help or put Davis on the block. AJ Dybantsa will provide a significant offensive boost, but Washington can’t expect a rookie to save them, even if he is the number one overall pick.
The Washington Wizards clearly need more talent who is ready to help them win behind Anthony Davis. Trae Young can run the offense, but he has defensive warts. George has been making an impact. Head coach Brian Keefe must lean into lineups that are working, and the front office must add before the deadline.
AD is still a superstar, but he can’t do it all. Davis played well enough to win in Charlotte. His team just didn’t give him enough help.
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