Orlando Pinstriped Post - Magic at Hornets: Southeast's worst meet in Queen CityAn Orlando Magic blog with news, rumors, analysis, and commentaryhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/21281/orlando-fave.jpg2014-12-27T21:42:19-05:00http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/rss/stream/72187362014-12-27T21:42:19-05:002014-12-27T21:42:19-05:00Vučević, Magic withstand Walker's career night
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<img alt="Al Jefferson and Nik Vučević" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pHzWqb82c9rOWVJPeVuAlMwGRYc=/0x235:1532x1256/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44411278/usa-today-8293865.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Al Jefferson and Nik Vučević | Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The fourth-year guard popped off for 42 points, but Orlando's more balanced effort helped it beat the Hornets for the second time in as many tries.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> held on to top the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> on Saturday, 102-94, despite a 42-point performance from Hornets point guard <span>Kemba Walker</span> and the Magic's own offensive miscues in Charlotte's late rally.</p>
<p><span>Nik Vučević</span> led six Magic players in double-figure scoring, registering 22 points to go with 11 rebounds and three assists. <span>Evan Fournier</span> and <span>Ben Gordon</span> scored 12 and 11 off the bench, respectively, and <span>Tobias Harris</span> added 21, including a key three-pointer with 1:35 to play which put the visitors up by 11 and appeared to seal the game.</p>
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<p>After a disastrous first half, Walker erupted in the third quarter, drawing Harris on switches and shooting long, in-rhythm deuces over the Magic forward. Orlando's defense may have played into Walker's hot third, in which he scored 19 points on nine shot attempts: its aggressive off-ball defense of <span>Al Jefferson</span>, as well as its decision to switch screens, enabled Walker to get it going from midrange. But despite his going nova, Orlando increased its lead by three points in the frame.</p>
<p>The fourth quarter proved, as always, with this Magic club, an adventure: having established his midrange game, Walker leveraged Orlando's hard closeouts against it, getting to the rim and drawing contact, helping the Hornets stage a rally.</p>
<p>But even when the Magic's offense went off the rails--at one point, Orlando missed nine straight shot attempts--they maintained their defensive composure: on the rare occasions when it denied Walker the ball or he otherwise yielded it, his teammates couldn't convert in the packed painted area. And limiting Jefferson's touches proved sound: the veteran center only put up four shots in the second half, and his lack of involvement meant fewer Magic double-teams, and thus fewer chances for Charlotte to reverse the ball to an open shooter.</p>
<p>In addition to Vucevic's strong game--his strong, decisive moves against Jefferson in the post impressed--Orlando also got a great performance from <span>Elfrid Payton</span> in his fourth consecutive start. The rookie point guard dished eight assists without a turnover, and his 4-of-13 shooting belies the fact that he made sound decisions on when to shoot versus when to move the ball.</p>
<p>Upsetting the Southeast's worst team on its home floor doesn't impress, no, but Orlando is wanting for wins: it dropped seven of its previous nine before Saturday's game. The Magic kept their cool in a pressure-packed situation, on the road, against an on-fire individual opponent. In another rebuilding year, that sort of effort has to count for something.</p>
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https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2014/12/27/7455659/charlotte-hornets-orlando-magic-final-score-2014-kemba-walker-nikola-vucevicEvan Dunlap2014-12-27T17:00:02-05:002014-12-27T17:00:02-05:00Magic at Hornets GameThread
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<img alt="Gerald Henderson" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f4EhZmZfZu6vfXubc22Z_4L-I5E=/0x1233:2653x3002/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44409928/usa-today-8289216.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gerald Henderson | Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Both teams enter Saturday's game coming off Friday losses.</p> <p>Coming off a disappointing 1-3 homestand, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> take the road once again Saturday as they visit the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a>. </p>
<p>Tipoff between Orlando and Charlotte is set for 7:00 PM on Fox Sports Florida and ESPN 580 AM in the Orlando market.</p>
<p>Please post your pre- and in-game comments in this GameThread.</p>
<p><strong>Do not <u>ask for</u>, <u>mention</u>, or <u>link to</u> any sites or services that provide video streams for this game</strong>. Doing so will result in a disciplinary action.</p>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="5"><tbody> <tr> <th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3">2014/2015 NBA Season</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v73/incurock31/3QC/Logos%20non-gifs/ORL_alt_zpsf9d33782.jpg" width="120" height="80" alt="Orlando Magic alternate logo"></center></td> <th align="center" width="20">@</th> <td width="240"><center><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v73/incurock31/3QC/Logos/CHH_alt02_zpsf054c3ed.jpg" alt="Charlotte Hornets alternate logo" width="54" height="80"></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center>11-21 (7-12 road)<br>Lost 1</center></td> <th align="center" width="20"></th> <td width="240"><center>10-20 (7-9 home)<br>Lost 1</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>December 27th, 2014</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>Time Warner Cable Arena</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>7:00 PM</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>Fox Sports Florida / 580 AM</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>Possible Starters</strong></th> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span>Elfrid Payton</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">PG</th> <td width="240"><span>Kemba Walker</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span>Victor Oladipo</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">SG</th> <td width="240"><span>Gerald Henderson</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span>Tobias Harris</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">SF</th> <td width="240"><span>Michael Kidd-Gilchrist</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span>Kyle O`Quinn</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">PF</th> <td width="240"><span>Cody Zeller</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span>Nik Vučević</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">C</th> <td width="240"><span>Al Jefferson</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>Advanced Stats, via NBA.com/stats</strong></th> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240">94.71 (23rd)</td> <th align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td width="240">94.54 (24th)</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240">98.9 (26th)</td> <th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td width="240">99.4 (25th)</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240">104.1 (18th)</td> <th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td width="240">104.3 (19th)</td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>Season Series</strong></th> </tr> <tr><td align="center" colspan="3"> <strong><a href="http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2014/11/21/7259881/charlotte-hornets-orlando-magic-2015-nba-schedule">Nov. 21st</a></strong>: Magic 105, Hornets 100</td></tr> <tr><th height="20" colspan="3" bgcolor="silver"></th></tr> </tbody></table>
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https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2014/12/27/7454729/magic-at-hornets-game-time-tv-schedule-and-moreEvan Dunlap2014-12-27T13:18:59-05:002014-12-27T13:18:59-05:00Orlando looks to keep Charlotte in the cellar
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<img alt="Cody Zeller" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GifHdZm34dnaphGlKSOiBS6PG0M=/0x114:2384x1703/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44409874/usa-today-8289371.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Cody Zeller | Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A loss to Charlotte on Saturday would drop Orlando to last place in the Southeast Division.</p> <p>The slumping <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a>, losers of seven of their last night, visit the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> on Saturday to open a two-game roadtrip.</p>
<p>Tipoff between Orlando and Charlotte is set for 7:00 PM. Fox Sports Florida and ESPN 580 AM will offer live coverage in the Orlando market.</p>
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<p><strong>Orlando's last time out</strong>: The Magic built a lead as large as 10 points Friday night against the visiting <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a>, only for <span>LeBron James</span> to lead a fourth-quarter comeback and send Orlando to another defeat. James outscored the Magic, 15-14, in the fourth quarter as Cleveland prevailed by a 98-89 final. <span>Tobias Harris</span> led five Magic players in double-figure scoring with 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting.</p>
<p><strong>Charlotte's last time out</strong>: The Hornets' four-game winning streak came to an emphatic end, 98-75, Friday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>. No Charlotte starter reached double-figure scoring, and the team shot 28.7 percent from the floor on the whole. Even without <span>Kevin Durant</span>, Oklahoma City cruised behind a 29-point effort from <span>Russell Westbrook</span>.</p>
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<p><strong><a href="http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2014/11/21/7259881/charlotte-hornets-orlando-magic-2015-nba-schedule">The last meeting</a></strong>: Orlando stunned the Hornets for arguably the most impressive win of the <span>Jacque Vaughn</span> era, rallying from a 23-point deficit to take a 105-100 victory. The Magic outscored the hosts by a 41-21 margin in the final period, completing the seemingly impossible. Rookie point guard <span>Elfrid Payton</span> scored 16 off the bench, while fellow reserve <span>Ben Gordon</span> added 11 in just 16 minutes against his former club.</p>
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https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2014/12/27/7454677/charlotte-hornets-orlando-magic-2014-nba-schedule-december-27Evan Dunlap