The Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets, two teams languishing at the bottom of the Southeast Division, face off Thursday night in Washington in a matchup between squads desperate for a win. Combined, the two teams have just 11 victories this season, but for one of them, Thursday could be a rare chance to change the narrative. The Hornets (7-22) are in a free fall, having lost five straight games and 13 of their last 14. Their most recent outing, a 114-101 defeat to the Houston Rockets, showcased their struggles. Charlotte managed only one 3-pointer in the first quarter and trailed 62-31 at halftime, exiting the court to boos from their home crowd. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 24 points

The Toronto Raptors face a formidable challenge Thursday night as they visit the Memphis Grizzlies, led by the electrifying Ja Morant. For Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, the matchup comes with added significance, as he returns to Memphis, where he served as an assistant coach for three seasons. The Grizzlies (20-10) are thriving in the Western Conference, boasting the third-best record despite Morant missing 12 games due to injuries. Since his return from suspension and health setbacks, the two-time All-Star has been pivotal, averaging 21.3 points and 7.9 assists per game. Even with Morant in and out of the lineup, Memphis has found its offensive groove, scoring 126.1 points per game in December. Coach Taylor Jenkins credits Morant’s renewed focus and

The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans find themselves on opposite trajectories as they face off Thursday night. The surging Rockets, winners of five of their last six games, will look to capitalize on their depth against a struggling Pelicans squad mired in a seven-game losing streak. The Rockets (20-9) have showcased remarkable depth, even overcoming injuries to key contributors like Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason. In their recent 114-101 win over Charlotte, multiple players stepped up: Houston’s ability to focus from the opening tip has been key. The Rockets dominated the Hornets in the first half on Monday, taking a commanding 62-31 lead. That marked a significant shift from their sluggish start against Toronto a day earlier, where they

The Utah Jazz are set to conclude their five-game road trip on Thursday night in Portland, aiming to replicate their dominant 42-point victory over the Trail Blazers earlier this month. On Dec. 6, the Jazz steamrolled Portland 141-99, marking their most lopsided win of the season. Despite missing star forward Lauri Markkanen in that game due to a back injury, Utah’s depth shone brightly. Reserve Johnny Juzang dropped 22 points, while Walker Kessler contributed 13 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks. The Jazz (9-14) have had an inconsistent season but are showing signs of cohesion in recent weeks. After consecutive victories over Detroit and Brooklyn, Utah gave Cleveland a strong fight in a 124-113 loss on Monday. Coach Will Hardy