1st quarter report
The Magic are on the road but don’t seem any worse for wear. They jumped out to an early 25-20 lead against the Hornets.
The Magic came into the game having won three straight and they are only three quarters back. Will they make it four, or will the Hornets step in and ruin it? We will know soon.
Who’s playing
Orlando Magic @Charlotte Hornets
Current records: Orlando 35-26, Charlotte 15-46
How to watch
- When: Tuesday March 5, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
- Or: Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
- TV: Bally Sports SE Charlotte
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $8.49
What there is to know
The Magic had a three-game homestand but will have to dust off their road jerseys soon. They will face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET at the Spectrum Center. The Magic might want some stickum for this contest since the team allowed 20 turnovers on Sunday.
You can’t lose the game if you win every quarter, and that was precisely the Magic’s strategy against the Pistons on Sunday. Orlando beat the Pistons 113-91. The Magic were heavily favored in this contest, and the results show why.
The Magic relied on the efforts of Wendell Carter Jr., who scored 19 points with eight rebounds and two blocks, and Paolo Banchero, who scored 29 points with eight rebounds and five assists. Carter Jr. didn’t help the Magic’s cause much against the Jazz on Thursday, but the same can’t be said for this game.
Meanwhile, the Hornets’ recent rough patch got a little tougher on Sunday after their fourth straight loss. They suffered a 111-106 loss in the loss column against Toronto. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Hornets in their matchups with the Raptors: they have now lost three in a row.
Orlando pushed its record to 35-26 with the win, which was its fourth straight at home. As for Charlotte, they haven’t been very good recently as the team has lost five of their last six games, which has significantly dented their 15-46 record this season.
The Magic beat the Hornets 130-117 in their previous meeting in November 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Magic since the team won’t have home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change of location makes a difference.
Odds
Orlando is a heavy 8.5 point favorite against Charlotte, according to the latest NBA Odds.
The punters were perfectly in tune with the betting community on this point, as the game opened with an 8.5 point spread and stayed there.
Oddsmakers are predicting a defensive matchup and setting the low/under at 207.5 points.
See NBA Pick for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Charlotte and Orlando both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- November 26, 2023 – Orlando 130 vs. Charlotte 117
- March 3, 2023 – Orlando 117 vs. Charlotte 106
- February 5, 2023 – Orlando 119 vs. Charlotte 113
- November 14, 2022 – Charlotte 112 vs. Orlando 105
- October 28, 2022 – Orlando 113 vs. Charlotte 93
- April 7, 2022 – Charlotte 128 vs. Orlando 101
- January 14, 2022 – Orlando 116 vs. Charlotte 109
- November 24, 2021 – Charlotte 106 vs. Orlando 99
- October 27, 2021 – Charlotte 120 vs. Orlando 111
- May 7, 2021 – Charlotte 122 vs. Orlando 112
