Magic at Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets can't afford to go on another losing streak if they want to remain in the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and are looking forward to a stretch of schedule that includes plenty of home games. The Hornets will begin that stretch of eight of 10 at home when they host the Orlando Magic on Friday.
Charlotte missed a chance at a three-game winning streak and failed to take of one of the teams in front of them in the standings with a 108-101 loss at Miami on Wednesday, dropping three games behind the eighth-place Chicago Bulls in the process. The Hornets took a five-point lead into the fourth quarter on Wednesday but were outscored 27-15 in the final period and surrendered 17 made 3-pointers in the contest. The Magic did their best to help Charlotte with a 98-91 triumph over the Bulls on Wednesday - a win that marked a turnaround on defense after the team had allowed an average of 114 points in back-to-back losses. "I was proud of how we closed the game out," Orlando coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "We were happy with how we played for the most part the past two games, but obviously not how we finished. I love the energy that we came out with in the third quarter on both ends of the floor and with the offensive pace and the foot on the gas to really score the ball."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, FSN Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (24-41): Orlando point guard Elfrid Payton recorded his second straight triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists on Wednesday while shooting 8-of-12 from the field. "I’m just playing," Payton told reporters. "We have a new lineup and we’re playing faster. I think it fits the style of talent that we have in (the Magic locker room). I think we all benefit from it." Orlando went to a smaller lineup after dealing power forward Serge Ibaka away before the trade deadline and is starting Aaron Gordon and Terrence Ross in an athletic forward pairing to go with Payton and Evan Fournier in the backcourt.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (28-36): Payton will have to deal with Charlotte All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, who remained a bright spot for the team with 33 points in Wednesday's setback. Walker scored at least 25 points in each of the last six games - matching a career high - and is averaging 29.7 points in that span. The Hornets are missing versatile big man Frank Kaminsky (shoulder), who sat out the last three games, and are pushing center Cody Zeller, who played 42 minutes on Wednesday in his fifth game back from a quad injury that robbed him of 13 games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Magic C Nikola Vucevic (sore right Achilles) sat out the last three games and is day-to-day.
2. Hornets PF Marvin Williams recorded a double-double in two of the last three games.
3. Charlotte took the first two meetings this season, including a 109-88 home win on Dec. 9.