Franz Wagner scored 21 points, while Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black each added 20 points, leading the Orlando Magic to their first road win of the season with a 123-107 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night.
Orlando shot 51.7% from the field and made 16 3-pointers. The Magic, who lost their first two road games, went on a big run after most of a 16-point lead disappeared in the second half. They also snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.
Tristan da Silva added 19 points off the bench and he was one of four Orlando players with three 3-point baskets.
Collin Sexton led the Hornets with 19 points off the bench, while Ryan Kalkbrenner and LaMelo Ball each scored 17 points and Miles Bridges added 16. Charlotte was coming off a three-game road trip but couldn’t replicate the success it had last week in its home opener.
Moussa Diabate notched 10 points for the Hornets, who shot 50.6% from the field. They went only 11 of 30 from beyond the arc. Ball dished out 13 assists, while Bridges hit four threes.
Charlotte was hurt by Orlando’s improved defense, which benefited from the Hornets’ 21 turnovers.
Banchero shot 8-for-12 from the field, Black was 8-for-13 and Wagner went 8-for-16.
The Hornets closed to 88-85 with under two minutes left in the third quarter. However, da Silva scored the final four points of the quarter at the free-throw line.
Then the Magic started the fourth quarter by scoring the next nine points, creating a 13-0 run. Soon, the lead expanded to 107-87 on Banchero’s 3-pointer.
Orlando had a strong start to the game as well, leading 24-11 in the first 10 minutes and then taking a 71-58 lead into halftime by shooting 55.6% from the field. Wagner scored 18 points in the first half, and Black added 16 before the break.
It was further evidence that Charlotte’s recent defensive issues hadn’t been fixed. The Hornets were overwhelmed 144-117 two nights earlier in Miami, and signs of that reappeared when the Magic scored 38 points in the first quarter.
–Field Level Media
