The Washington Wizards have struggled all season long to grab a win, let alone stack them. On Thursday, they'll have a solid chance to add another win to their record with the struggling Charlotte Hornets coming to town.
Charlotte heads into matchup with a similar, yet slightly better record than the Wizards at 7-19. However, both squads are in the midst of a rebuilding stage with similar levels of talent on their roster. And while the Hornets have a solidified star in LaMelo Ball leading the way, they've proven to be more than beatable in the last couple of months.
That said, here's a look at three keys for the Wizards to get back in the win column and turn their rough start around..
1) Disrupt LaMelo Ball on offense
LaMelo Ball is one of the more talented players in the league. The guard can hurt you with his limitless range and creative offense, but he can also tear apart an opposing defense with his ability to be a dangerous passer.
Averaging 30.2 points, 7.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds, while shooting 42.7% from field goal range, it's clear that slowing down Ball should be a priority for Brian Keefe's squad. If they can limit the 23-year-old's impact, they'll have a great chance to grab the win.
2) Get Alex Sarr involved from the jump
Alex Sarr was drafted so highly because of how versatile he could be on both ends of the floor. Through the first couple months of the season, the rookie has shown flashes of how electric he can be on defense, but his offensive game has shown that there's still a ways to go for him to be a dominant two-way force.
However, Sarr has shown that against opposing teams with a lack of front court prescence defensively, he can exploit mismatches. Against the Hornets, the Wizards should feed Sarr early to see if he can get going early to not only help his game, but potentially open up the offense for other Wizards players.
3) Match the Hornets bench injury
One of the more stable parts of the Hornets roster this season has been their bench play with Tre Mann leading the way. Charlotte can shift the momentum in games quickly when their second unit enters the game and the Wizards can't allow that. Washington will need their bench to match the intensity and impact of the Hornets if they hope to protect home court.