Magic Pull Away from Shorthanded Hornets, Head into All-Star Break with Win

The Orlando Magic sputtered for a half against the 13-win Charlotte Hornets, then did what playoff contenders are supposed to do: dispose of weaker competition.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) passes the ball in front of Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the first quarter at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic finally woke up and took care of business.

The first half against the 13-win Charlotte Hornets was ugly. Any team that considers itself a candidate for postseason play needs to win these games, yet the Magic had only 44 points and trailed at the break.

Fortunately, they found their stride in a 33-point third-quarter outbreak. A two-point deficit became a double-digit cushion and the Magic cruised to a 102-86 win over the Hornets.

The Magic are 27-29 entering a week-long pause for the NBA's All-Star break. When they return Feb. 20 at Atlanta, there will be 26 games left to improve their standing and playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference.

Hours before tipoff Wednesday at the team's shootaround, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley warned his team about overlooking the shorthanded Hornets.

"You speak the truth to exactly what it is," Mosley said. "We've had games where we've overlooked teams, and those are the teams that you look back on in April and say, 'That's one we could've got.'"

This win was far from pretty. In that first half, Orlando shot 34 percent from the field and 5-of-21 from three. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's double techinals with two seconds left signaled the Magic's frustration.

Instead of letting the anger linger, Orlando used the moment to rekindle its competitive fire.

"I think when you see one of your starters, a veteran, get kicked out of the game like that, right before the half, I think it just adds some fire coming out of the locker room," Paolo Banchero said.

The offense came together in the second half — shooting 50 percent from the field and 9-of-22 from three — and helped the Magic go into break with a much-needed victory.

"The word we used is finish," Mosley said postgame. "Finish this game, finish the possessions, finishing out strong. ... You saw the energy within the group, the spirit, the pulling for one another, the communication. That's what we asked for this game. That's what we were looking for, and they did it.

"That can give you the momentum going into the break, knowing what you're capable of doing and how you have to play to get there."

Banchero led the Magic with 24 points, including 12 points and four of his six assists in the decisive third quarter. He also added eight rebounds.

Before heading out to compete in the Rising Stars event this weekend, Anthony Black was a bright spot off the bench, contributing 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, plus four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal in 24 minutes.

"He looked really confident making shots, driving the ball, [and] obviously guarding as well," Banchero said of Black.

Franz Wagner scored 16 on 6-of-10 shooting and surpassed 5,000 career points, while Cole Anthony (13 points) and Wendell Carter Jr. (11 points, 11 rebounds) also finished in double figures.

Jalen Suggs, the fourth-year starting guard and All-NBA defender, missed his ninth straight game and 19th of his past 20.

But a week away could be just what he and the Magic need.

Up Next

The Magic's season resumes Thursday, Feb. 20, at Atlanta. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. ET.

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