Charlotte Hornets (26-31) vs. Washington Wizards (16-39)
February 22, 2026 6:00 pm EDT
The Line: Washington Wizards +11.5; Over/Under: 228.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards do battle at the Capital One Arena on Sunday night. Here’s a Wizards vs. Hornets prediction. This article will include a Wizards vs. Hornets pick.
Charlotte Hornets Betting Preview
The Charlotte Hornets look like they have cooled off from their nine-game win streak, as they are now looking to avoid a third straight defeat after falling just short to the red-hot Cavaliers in a 118-113 loss on Friday. Kon Knueppel led the team with 33 points on 11 of 20 shooting, and Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball each scored 18 points, while Ryan Kalkbrenner chipped in with 12 points and 13 rebounds. As a team, the Hornets shot just 39 percent from the field and 20 of 56 from the 3-point line as they caught fire with 36 points in the third quarter to erase an early 14-point deficit, but when the game tightened up, it was the Cavaliers who used a pivotal 7-0 run to start to pull away at the end.
Washington Wizards Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards have been in pretty good form lately, as they’ve won six of their last 11 games overall, and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after blowing past the Pacers in a 131-118 win on Friday. Alondes Williams led the team with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists; Sharife Cooper added 18 points on eight of 11 shooting, while Tristan Vukcevic and Tre Johnson each scored 14 points. As a team, the Wizards shot 58 percent from the field and six of 29 from the 3-point line as they struggled to contain the Pacers in the first half and looked to be in trouble after falling behind by 15 points, but that all changed in the second half, where the Wizards dominated the Pacers by 74-50 to beat the Pacers for the second time in as many nights.
Why the Washington Wizards will win
- The Wizards have won six of their last seven games as home underdogs against the Hornets.
- The Hornets have lost four of their last five games as road favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Wizards have covered the spread in each of their last six home games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Hornets have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games against Wizards teams that held a losing record.
Why the Charlotte Hornets will win
- The Hornets have won each of their last seven games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Wizards have lost each of their last six night games against Southeast Division opponents that held a losing record.
- The Hornets have covered the spread in each of their last nine road games following a loss.
- The Wizards have failed to cover the spread in each of their last eight Sunday night games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a losing record.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Wizards’ last nine games against the Hornets following a home win have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Eight of the Hornets’ last nine games as road favorites following a home loss have gone OVER the total points line.
Washington Wizards Player Facts
- Kyshawn George ranks 11th amongst qualified Forwards for assists per game (4.7) this season.
- Bub Carrington ranks 20th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (38.6%) this season.
Charlotte Hornets Player Facts
- LaMelo Ball ranks 4th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (4.4) this season.
- Kon Knueppel ranks 5th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per game (3.4) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Wizards rank 30th in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (47.7).
- The Wizards rank 30th in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (13.3).
- The Hornets rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (39.4).
- The Hornets rank 30th in the league for steals per game this season (6.7).
Wizards vs Hornets Prediction
The Hornets are still missing Liam McNeeley and Coby White, while the Wizards have ruled out Justin Champagnie, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore, Anthony Davis, and Trae Young. The Hornets will be disappointed with their narrow loss to the Cavaliers on Friday, but now they have a chance to bounce back against a Wizards team that they’ve already beaten three times this season. The line is certainly hefty, but the Hornets are clearly the hotter team, and I think they get the job done with relative ease in this spot.
