GAME RECAP · POSTGAME
Wizards Beat Hornets 95–79: AD Leads the Cup Win, but the Glass Still Needs Work
Davis had 25 and 13, Young supplied 21 and nine assists, and a 28–13 third quarter swung the NBA Cup rematch. The win gives Washington a response to build on—and possession habits to keep improving.
Washington did not need a beautiful offensive night to get its NBA Cup campaign moving. It needed enough answers to keep a difficult shooting game from becoming another loss.
The Wizards beat Charlotte 95–79 at Capital One Arena on Friday, moving to 3–3 overall and opening East Group C play with a win. Anthony Davis supplied 25 points and 13 rebounds, Trae Young added 21 points and nine assists, and Washington turned a five-point halftime advantage into a 20-point lead entering the fourth.
That is a useful response to Monday’s loss in Charlotte. It is also a result that deserves a closer look. Washington won through a decisive third quarter and a major advantage at the free-throw line. That is progress, but it does not settle every possession-level question behind the first defeat.
THE THIRD QUARTER CHANGED THE GAME
Charlotte led 26–22 after one quarter. Washington moved ahead 51–46 by halftime, then won the third 28–13. The 79–59 score entering the fourth is the clearest dividing line in the game.
The official play-by-play shows the opening push: Kyshawn George made threes at 11:38 and 11:07, both assisted by Young. Young’s driving layup at 10:22 completed an 8–0 start to the half and made it 59–46. A manageable lead had become a different kind of problem for Charlotte.
George finished with 12 points on 4-for-8 three-point shooting. Bub Carrington supplied another nine points while making all three of his attempts from deep. Together, they accounted for seven of Washington’s 10 made threes. On a night when the team was struggling to convert inside the arc, those makes mattered.
The lesson is not that Washington must wait for a supporting player to get hot. It is that useful creation still needs someone ready to finish it. The two Young-to-George connections gave the opening stretch of the third a concrete shape: a creator finding a teammate, followed by a made shot.
AD AND TRAE FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO SCORE
Davis and Young combined for 46 points, but the free-throw line explains a large part of that production. Davis went 9-for-10. Young went 12-for-14. AJ Dybantsa added 6-for-7 as Washington finished 29-for-35, compared with Charlotte’s 7-for-12.
That is a 22-point advantage in made free throws in a 16-point victory. It is not a complete explanation of the game, but it is too important to bury under the final score. The Wizards found scoring that did not require their jump shots to carry the evening.
| Washington contributor | Points | Other key numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Davis | 25 | 13 rebounds; 9-for-10 FT |
| Trae Young | 21 | 9 assists; 12-for-14 FT |
| AJ Dybantsa | 17 | 5-for-11 FG; 6-for-7 FT |
| Kyshawn George | 12 | 4-for-8 from three |
| Bub Carrington | 9 | 3-for-3 from three |
Source: NBA.com final box score. These are selected single-game totals, not season averages.
Davis also committed only one turnover in 34:19. Young had four, so the evaluation should include the possessions Washington still gave away. The stars provided enough production to win; cleaner decisions remain part of the next step.
MILLER HAD A MUCH HARDER SCORING NIGHT
Brandon Miller followed his 39-point first meeting with 19 points on 7-for-24 shooting, including 3-for-13 from three. Charlotte made only 12 of its 56 three-point attempts.
Washington deserves credit for the result: the Hornets finished with 79 points, and the third-quarter separation gave the Wizards room to close. But a box score cannot tell us how much of every miss came from defensive execution, shot selection or simple shooting variance. Declaring the defense fixed would run ahead of the evidence.
Our pregame preview asked Washington to make Miller work before the catch and stay connected after the first action. The scoring outcome improved sharply. A complete film review would be needed to assign individual credit for every possession. The next test is repeating the communication and effort when the opponent’s shots fall more often.
THE GLASS IS STILL THE UNFINISHED JOB
The win should not erase the most obvious warning. After allowing 20 offensive rebounds in the first meeting, Washington needed a response in the physical work around the rim. Charlotte still earned second looks in the rematch. Even in a comfortable victory, finishing the defensive possession remains a habit worth demanding.
The free-throw difference helped Washington absorb its own difficult shooting stretches. It should not become a plan for surviving every loose rebound or incomplete stop. Against a team converting more of its chances, the margin for those mistakes shrinks.
Davis collected 13 rebounds and Alex Sarr had eight. That work mattered. The team standard is higher than a few useful individual totals: make contact, cover the space behind the contest and secure the ball before looking for the break.
AJ’S HOME DEBUT ADDED MORE THAN A SCORING TOTAL
Dybantsa followed his 19-point NBA debut in Cleveland with 17 points and one turnover in 29:35 at home. He shot 5-for-11 and reached the line seven times.
The scoring efficiency and trips to the line belong in the conversation alongside the points. Washington needs another player who can contribute around its stars, especially with Justin Champagnie inactive. Dybantsa’s production supplied an encouraging example without making a two-game sample a finished verdict on his role.
For the connection between his first game and this one, revisit our Cleveland recap. The goal is a repeatable place in the offense, supported by the work around it.
WHAT HAS TO TRAVEL TO ORLANDO
Washington’s next scheduled game is at Orlando on Monday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The priority is to carry the useful parts of Friday into a game that may demand a different kind of answer: keep creating advantages for teammates, continue involving Dybantsa and make the defensive rebound part of the stop.
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Washington has a Cup win and a response worth building on. The next improvement is making the possession habits as convincing as the margin.
OFFICIAL GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Watch the NBA.com third-quarter highlights from this October 30 game. The official NBA full-game highlights are embedded near the top of this article; the NBA.com link focuses on the quarter that created the decisive separation.