The Charlotte Hornets — then known as the Bobcats — were the surprise of the Eastern Conference a year ago, a role the Orlando Magic would like to fill this season. The upstart Magic aim to continue their ascent toward playoff contender status when they travel to face the Hornets on Friday. The Southeast Division rivals split four games last season with each team winning once at home and once on the road.
Orlando has played much better since an 0-4 start and had won three of four before getting blown out 114-90 by the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. "We're learning and (the Clippers) are a West Coast playoff team and they are a contender," Magic forward Channing Frye told the team's website. "We just have to come back and get that sense of urgency. … We have to win against a playoff team eventually." They'll get a shot at a playoff team from a year ago against Charlotte, but the Hornets have not looked like one lately, losing five of six and failing to score more than 87 points during a three-game slide.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), SportSouth (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (5-8): Orlando is one of the best outside shooting teams in the league, ranking second at 40.8 percent from 3-point range and hitting 45.1 percent from behind the arc over its past eight games. That status takes a hit, though, if guard Evan Fournier (17.3 points) is unable to return after missing Wednesday's game with a bruised left heel. Fournier is one of five players averaging double-digit scoring and ranks third on the team behind Tobias Harris (18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic (18.8 points, 11.9 rebounds).
ABOUT THE HORNETS (4-8): Charlotte remains short-handed with forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist sidelined by a stress reaction in his right foot, but the Hornets should be closer to full strength with reserve guards P.J. Hairston (ankle) and Gary Neal (concussion) expected back. Center Al Jefferson has been the only consistent bright spot for the Hornets, averaging 20.7 points and 6.8 rebounds, though guards Kemba Walker (14.5 points, 4.8 assists) and Lance Stephenson (9.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists) have shown flashes of being able to carry the team. Neal (12.2 points) is the only other player averaging double figures as the team's top reserve.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Jefferson has scored in double figures in 36 of his last 37 regular-season games dating to last season, including 27 games of 20 or more points.
2. Orlando G Victor Oladipo has averaged 12.3 points, five rebounds and four assists in four games since returning from a facial fracture that kept him out of the team's first nine contests.
3. Charlotte has gone 29-of-53 (54.7 percent) from the free-throw line during its three-game losing streak after shooting 76.1 percent in its first nine games.