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Sports

Wizards beat Bobcats 92-75 in Wittman's first game

Associated Press
Published | Updated

WASHINGTON – Nick Young scored 20 points, and Andray Blatche had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards to a 92-75 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night in Randy Wittman's first game as coach.

Wittman took over for the fired Flip Saunders on Tuesday, and guided the team without the benefit of a practice. Saunders' lead assistant has been an NBA coach twice — with Minnesota and Cleveland. His career record improved to 101-207.

He didn't change the starting lineup.

"All these guys get a clean slate with me," Wittman said.

They started off brilliantly against a team with even more problems. The Bobcats, who have lost six straight, are now 3-16 and were missing their top two scorers: Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin.

Matt Carroll scored 17 points and rookie Cory Higgins had a season-high 13 for the Bobcats. Tyrus Thomas also had 13 points and blocked nine shots — one short of a team record.

John Wall scored 12 points for the Wizards, who broke a three-game losing streak but are still just 3-15.

Washington led throughout and had a 31-17 advantage after one. The second quarter was even worse for Charlotte. The Bobcats missed their first seven shots of the quarter and finished 5 for 20 in the period, scoring just 11 points and trailing 48-28 at halftime.

The Bobcats used a 9-0 run early in the third to cut the lead to 50-37, but Washington soon pushed the lead to 25 and led 71-49 heading into the fourth.

NOTES: Henderson was a late scratch with a bruised lower back. Earlier in the day, the team exercised its fourth-year option on him. Carroll started in Henderson's place. ... Augustin will miss at least three more games with an inflamed right big toe. Coach Paul Silas isn't sure how long Augustin will be out. "It's difficult to know, but the one thing we were concerned about is a fracture and he doesn't have that. So we'll just have to wait and see how long it's gonna take him," Silas said. ... Wizards F/C Ronny Turiaf says he's still a few weeks away from returning after breaking his left hand on Jan. 1. ... Washington hired a new assistant coach, Joe Connelly. ... Charlotte tied a season high with 22 turnovers.