Washington @ Charlotte preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 29, 2018 ) Charlotte 126, Washington 130

Charlotte was the center of the NBA universe last weekend during the All-Star festivities and will now get back to trying to root the Hornets into the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hornets, who sit in seventh place in the East coming out of the break, will try to hold off one of the teams chasing them when they host the Washington Wizards on Friday.

Charlotte is 8-21 on the road but is 19-9 at home, where it will play seven of its next eight games as it tries to hold off the likes of Detroit, Miami, Orlando and the Wizards. The Hornets went 1-3 on a four-game road trip heading into the break and entered the long layoff with a sour taste after getting crushed 127-89 at Orlando on Feb. 14. The Wizards are trying to turn their fortunes as well after dropping seven of 10 heading into the break, capped by losses at Detroit and Toronto. "We have to start winning," All-Star guard Bradley Beal told the Washington Post, referencing Washington as a franchise. "Whatever that looks like, whether that be top-down, whether that be just guys in the locker room, whether that be Coach (Scott Brooks) getting on us more, whatever it may be, we need to do it and win. ... I hate losing. I hate losing more than I like winning."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Southeast (Charlotte)

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (24-34): Washington's pre-deadline deals sending away starters Markieff Morris and Otto Porter Jr. while bringing back forwards Wesley Johnson, Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis, seemed to signal a team straddling the line between rebuilding and competing, but Beal is all-in on this season. "I'm locked in; I'm beyond locked in," Beal told reporters after the All-Star Game. "Hopefully my teammates will be the same way because we got a lot of games that we need. These games are imperative and important that we get them. I'm going to make sure that everybody's locked in. I feel good. My body feels good. We're going to hit the ground running." Beal is averaging 25.1 points, 5.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (27-30): Charlotte will host Western Conference powers Golden State and Houston during the current homestand but came back from the break refreshed and focused. "I think our minds are right, spirits are right," Hornets coach James Borrego told reporters after the team's first post-break practice on Tuesday. "Now we just have to get after it." All-Star guard Kemba Walker was the team's lone representative on Sunday and is carrying a heavy load on the team while averaging 24.9 points and 20 field-goal attempts.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Parker sandwiched a pair of 20-plus outings around a scoreless effort in his last three games.

2. Hornets SG Malik Monk is 2-of-16 from 3-point range over the last four games.

3. Washington took the first meeting 130-126 at home on Dec. 29 despite 47 points from Walker.

PREDICTION: Hornets 123, Wizards 119