Magic at Hornets
The red-hot Charlotte Hornets need some help and a victory over the visiting Orlando Magic in the regular-season finale Wednesday night to punch their ticket to the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Hornets have won four straight and eight of 11 after a 124-97 rout at Cleveland on Tuesday, but eighth-place Detroit rallied to beat Memphis and remained one game up on Charlotte for the last spot in the Eastern Conference.
Charlotte has won 13 of the last 14 meetings against Orlando and holds the tiebreaker over Detroit, but the Pistons can earn the final playoff position with a win over the league-worst New York Knicks on Wednesday. The Magic will play in the postseason for the first time since 2012 after rallying to win at Boston 112-106 on Sunday for their 10th victory in the last 12 games and go into the final day of the regular season tied with Brooklyn for sixth in the East. Orlando coach Steve Clifford, who was fired by the Hornets last April, is not expected to rest any of his regulars aside from injured forward Jonathan Isaac (concussion) and told reporters his team had the same focus and energy they have had the last 30 games in practice Tuesday. “It’s an exciting time for the city and for us as well, but at the same time, we have a job to do,” Magic point guard D.J. Augustin told the Orlando Sentinel. “We have a game (Wednesday) we need to take care of. Like coach always tells us, it’s not over with. We’re not done.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Florida (Orlando), FS Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (41-40): All-Star center Nikola Vucevic tops the team in scoring (20.8) and rebounding (12.0) after registering four straight double-doubles and seven in his past eight contests. Vucevic has received great support from his backcourt as Evan Fournier is averaging 22.3 points on 57.4 percent shooting the last four games and Terrence Ross averaged 24.7 while making 16-of-31 from 3-point range in the past three. Augustin, who leads the team in assists (5.3), scored 11 points and dished out 13 helpers in the win over Boston on Sunday.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (39-42): Leading scorers Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb each poured in 23 points in Tuesday’s victory as Charlotte placed six players in double figures while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor. Forward Frank Kaminsky has raised his level of production the last four games, averaging 20.3 points and 7.3 rebounds - well above his season marks of 8.6 and 3.5, respectively. Guard Dwayne Bacon scored 18 on Tuesday and is averaging 16 points the last two games after managing just six per contest over his first three outings in April.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Magic PG Michael Carter-Williams is averaging 5.2 points and 3.8 assists in 11 games since joining his sixth team.
2. Charlotte rookie F Miles Bridges scored 18 points Tuesday, his second-most this season, on 6-of-9 shooting.
3. Orlando F Wes Iwundu (5.0 points) is expected to start in place of Isaac (9.6, 5.5 rebounds).