Orlando advances to NBA Playoffs after blowing out Charlotte in Play-In

For a moment there, the basketball world wrote the Orlando Magic off for dead.

And after a few embarrassing outings, the critics had fair reasons to.

But this team at its core lives off its toughness, its tenacity, its resilience.

This group rolling over without a fight would go against everything they've built to get here, everything that Head Coach Jamahl Mosley has helped establish through his tenure.

It's good to see it wasn't all for naught. This Magic team dug deep, found some pride, and laid it all out on the court – and they delivered with a rout of the Charlotte Hornets in the final play-in game that sends Orlando to a first round series against the East's top seed, the Detroit Pistons.

Magic outhustle Hornets in elimination game

Suggs stops on a dime — Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) handles the ball in front of Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the first quarter during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Before the game, I asked Jamahl Mosley what his scorers can do to help the team win on nights where their shot isn't falling:

Making shots is not the only thing that contributes to the game.

It is about rebounding, it is about defending. It is about locking into your assignment.

Can you focus on one more rebound, getting the defensive stop?

Do not focus so much on the shot being made or missed; focus on what you can control. That is your energy, your effort, whatever you can do to contribute to your team.
Jamahl Mosley

I asked Orlando Magic HC Jamahl Mosley how guys can impact winning when their shot’s not falling:

“Making shots isn’t the only thing that contributes to the game.

It’s about rebounding… defending. It’s about locking into your assignment…

Focus on what you can control.” pic.twitter.com/Y0amJxS0RC
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 17, 2026

Orlando found the defensive identity that got them here, forcing deflection after deflection, blocking shots and contesting everything in sight, helping the team not only get stops on one end, but create easier scoring opportunities via transition on the other.

In the first quarter, Orlando forced two shot clock violations. In the second quarter, Orlando forced a third, with Black blocking Charlotte's center Ryan Kalkbrenner for good measure. Later, a fourth shot clock violation in the third.

Over the first half as a whole, Orlando blocked 4 shots and forced 3 steals, leading to a 16-3 edge in fast break points and a 38-12 edge in points in the paint. In the third quarter, Goga Bitadze had 3 blocks, in the span of a minute, with four on the night.

On offense, the team focused in on its strengths. Sticking with sets like Banchero-guard 2-man game, the Wagner-Carter connection, and Bane operating handoffs and double drags allowed the team to create consistent good looks at thee rim and from deep.

Add in running the floor off forced turnovers for easy looks, this team stuck with it does best – attack the rack, drive and kick, and deflect everything in sight.

Orlando led the Hornets 38-16 after one quarter, asserting dominance early, and never looked back, evaporating the Hornets' will to win after Charlotte could not overpower Orlando in threes or offensive rebounds, Charlotte's big strengths. The Magic led by 31 PTS at half, 68-37.

Focusing in on their strength of attacking the rack, the Orlando Magic led the Charlotte Hornets by a 50-20 margin in Points in the Paint through three quarters.

The Magic's primary ball-handlers leaned on what they do best, and most importantly, did not force up tough shots just for the sake of it – Franz driving and kicking; Paolo pushing into the trees; Bane attacking the gaps; Suggs picking his spots; Wendell rolling hard, plus everyone flying around defensively? The guys felt the pressure, and came out cookin'.

PAOLO BANCHERO POSTER W REPLAY pic.twitter.com/6AwtizVtcO
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) April 18, 2026

Paolo threw down his dunk of the season, too, in case any doubters were still doubting him.

Franz upping his scoring aggression in the second half helped him draw fouls and keep Orlando's momentum rolling. Wagner was handing out alley-oops like Oprah; everybody gets one.

Really it was the whole team moving with purpose, rotating with purpose, screening and cutting with purpose, even driving with purpose – no wasted movements, team-first ball-movement, and minimal tough shots when better shots could be found.

With everything on the line for his team tonight, I asked Jamahl Mosley what he wanted to see from his group. In addition to the urgency and seriousness of the moment, Jamahl emphasized the togetherness of the club, and most importantly, playing with joy:

That sense of urgency, the sense of togetherness.

The sense of... more than anything, the joy to get to play the game.

You have an opportunity to go and advance your season. I think that has to be taken with a level of seriousness and urgency.

But also, you still get to play this game. No matter what the stakes, no matter the situation.

The best of the best — all they talk about is the joy of being able to play the game. So you get to play this game tonight, so you should be grateful and respectful to the game of basketball which has given us all so much.
Jamahl Mosley

I asked Orlando Magic HC Jamahl Mosley what he wants to see from the team with everything on the line:

Urgency.

Togetherness.

Joy.

“The best of the best — all they talk about is the joy of getting to play this game…

Be grateful and respectful to the game of basketball.” pic.twitter.com/ydCQb42N7o
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 17, 2026

Building over a 30-point lead before halftime off the backs of their hustle, it sure looked like Mosley's Magic squad found its heart, its joy.

At least for one game, that's all they needed.

Orlando turning up the intensity defensively and attacking the rack at will is their reecipe for success no matter who they play.

Now with a second life, earning the opportunity to prove themselves in the Playoffs, Orlando suddenly has the chance to rewrite the narrative of their season.

Let's see how far the Magic can ride out this found joy on the 'nobody believes in us' train with a seven-game series against the Detroit Pistons right around the corner.

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