Wizards Hold Hornets to 79 Points in NBA Cup Opener

The Wizards held the Hornets to 79 points in a 95-79 victory on Friday night. This marked the first game of the NBA Cup, a tournament that runs alongside the regular season. Washington controlled the pace of the game and limited Charlotte's scoring opportunities.

Trae Young led the Wizards with 21 points. He also recorded nine assists and seven rebounds. Anthony Davis contributed 25 points and 13 rebounds for the home team. The Wizards controlled the third quarter, allowing Charlotte to score only 13 points during that period.

AJ Dybantsa made his home debut after missing the start of the season with an ankle injury. The 19-year-old rookie, who was the first overall pick in this year's draft, scored 17 points in the win. He had previously played in a loss to Cleveland on Wednesday night, where he scored 19 points.

Dybantsa played with composure in front of the local crowd. One impressive play was disallowed in the fourth quarter due to a rim interference call. Shortly after, he switched hands on a drive and scored a layup while drawing a foul. The crowd chanted for the player to be named Most Valuable Player of the game.

The Hornets struggled with their shooting throughout the contest. They led by 10 points in the first quarter after starting 4-for-10 from three-point range. They then made only four of their next 29 long-range attempts.

Charlotte finished the game shooting 29.7% from the field. They went 12-for-56 from beyond the arc. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 19 points. The team now accounts for the two lowest scoring games in the NBA this season, having scored 81 points in a loss to Atlanta on October 23.