Wizards @ Hornets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Washington Wizards (7-15)

@ Charlotte Hornets (9-16)

Current odds:

Washington Wizards: (-130)

Charlotte Hornets: (+110)

• The line for this game is Wizards by 2 points.

• The Washington Wizards’ struggles on the defensive end keep cropping up, sending the team into the loss column despite an offense that can hang with the best in the league. The Wizards will try to manufacture some stops and end a two-game slide when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. Washington enters play on Monday third in the NBA in scoring offense, averaging 118.2 points, but last in scoring defense, surrendering 122.5, and allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to score at least 30 points in each quarter during a 135-119 home setback on Sunday. “We compete, that’s what I love about our guys,” coach Scott Brooks told reporters of the Wizards, who are allowing an average of 127 points while dropping five of the last six games. “I’m not frustrated with our guys, (they) compete. They practice hard, their shootarounds are locked in. We need the experience of playing against these good teams.”

• The Hornets had their own issues on the defensive end in a 122-107 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. “The 71 points (allowed) in the second half were the problem,” Charlotte coach James Borrego told reporters. “We just didn’t get enough stops in the second half. I’ll watch the film, but we have to get better, ultimately. We’ll come in (Monday), get some work in, work on our defense some more and get after it another day.”

• Washington is getting frustrated with the mounting losses but also the sense that other teams are being allowed to play more physical on the defensive end, and star shooting guard Bradley Beal, who finished with 20 points on 5-of-18 shooting, vented after the game about the refs not allowing freedom of movement. That frustration led to the team being whistled for four technical fouls in Sunday’s setback. “When (point guard Ish Smith) gets a (technical foul), I know something’s going on,” Brooks told reporters. “That guy is the nicest guy on the planet. He gets a technical by just telling a referee to call it the same on the other end.”

• Charlotte had been getting strong production from its starting backcourt combination of Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier until both struggled in the same game on Sunday. The pair combined for 111 points in the two previous contests against Golden State and Brooklyn but were held to a total of 20 points on 7-of-30 shooting against the Hawks. Picking up some of the slack was small forward Miles Bridges, who scored 20 points and went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc to improve to 8-of-12 from long range over the last four contests.

• Wizards PG Isaiah Thomas (calf) sat out his third straight game on Sunday and is day-to-day.

• Hornets rookie F PJ Washington (ankle) left Sunday’s game and is questionable for Tuesday.

• Washington earned a 125-118 home win over Charlotte on Nov. 22 behind 30 points and 12 assists from Beal.