The Charlotte Hornets delivered a decisive performance at Kia Center on Thursday, beating the Orlando Magic 124-97 to snap a skid and pick up their fourth win in nine games. Charlotte improved to 17-28 on the season, while Orlando fell to 23-20.
LaMelo Ball returned to the starting five and finished with 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds while shooting 6-for-12 from the field and 4-for-8 from three.
Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 20 points in a balanced attack that featured five players scoring in double figures.
Collin Sexton supplied a spark off the bench with 19 points, including 12 in the first half, as the Hornets raced to a 35-20 first-quarter lead.
Charlotte shot 54 percent from the floor, made 47 percent of its threes (17-of-36) and converted 21-of-25 free throws, finishing with 47 rebounds and 26 assists.
Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner each scored 10 points, while Kon Knueppel and Tidjane Salaun added 13 apiece to sustain the margin.
The Hornets led 62-41 at the break after shooting 55 percent (22-of-41) in the first half, and outscored Orlando 35-26 in the third to open a 30-point edge early in the fourth.
Orlando struggled to find rhythm, connecting on just 33 percent of its first-half attempts (13-of-40) and finishing 42 percent for the game with 31 rebounds and 12 assists.
Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 23 points on 6-for-12 shooting and 9-of-12 from the line, while Desmond Bane chipped in 21. Moritz Wagner added 14 points in 15 minutes, Noah Penda scored 13 and Jett Howard finished with 10.
The Magic remained shorthanded without guard Jalen Suggs, who missed his eighth straight game due to a right-knee issue. Charlotte’s road-like poise and efficient ball movement forced 16 Orlando turnovers and kept the margin comfortable down the stretch.
The Hornets return home to host the Washington Wizards on Saturday, while the Magic will host the Cleveland Cavaliers that same night.
