Orlando Magic show their potential in huge win over Charlotte Hornets

The Orlando Magic used defense and ball movement to get open shots, and tear apart the Charlotte Hornets.

Returning home from a short trip north, the Orlando Magic welcomed the surprising Charlotte Hornets. The Magic did not have a great time of it last game at Amway Center, so decided to take it out on the Hornets, earning a big 113-98 win.

Jeremy Lamb (CHA) — 16 pts.; Kemba Walker (CHA) — 12 pts., 9 rebs.

Channing Frye (ORL) — 17 pts.; Elfrid Payton (ORL) — 12 pts., 9 assts.

And, in reality, it was not even that close. The Magic had 28 assists including nine on their first nine makes and 18 in their first 23 in the second half.

The ball moved quickly around the perimeter and the Magic got open shots. It was a clinic in team basketball and a glimpse of what the Magic could be.

“We know we’re good when we play our best,” Elfrid Payton said. “We have to come out every night and play with a lot of energy and compete at a high level.

“I don’t think this is the way we have to play, but this is when we play our best. This is what we’ve got to do night in and night out.”

The Hornets have played better than expectations so far this year, on a 14-9 record entering the game, and have not allowed a team to score 100 points on them in their last five games. However their big man Al Jefferson is currently serving a five-game suspension coming off an injury before theat, though they have still managed to win four of the last five.

The Magic came out looking to break that streak early. Whether it was the glamour of Star Wars Night or a determination to do their home fans justice after their last game at Amway Center, Orlando came out with energy and effort.

The Magic’s quick hands deflected a lot of Hornets passes, forcing their opponents either into bad shots out of their offense or turning the ball over completely. They pushed the issue, yet again realizing the success they have when taking the ball to the rim. Orlando converted 25 points off Charlotte’s 16 turnovers.

Early on Elfrid Payton was frustrating Kemba Walker (who himself has a very impressive record against the Magic), forcing him into several turnovers and only one field goal. One such highlight involved Payton swiping the ball from Walker, racing to the other end before dishing off to Tobias Harris for an and-1 finish.

The ball movement was superb for the Magic in the first half. The team was not only looking for the extra pass but the one after that too, and it served them well. Using this to get to the rim soon opened up the perimeter too, and shooters Victor Oladipo and Channing Frye took advantage.

Orlando shot a season-high 55.8 percent from the floor and made a season-high 14 3-pointers.

“I think it’s just a rhythm thing,” Frye said. “I think this has been what we’ve been practicing. I think we’re starting to figure out this is who we are. I think we’ve found our identity defensively and how we are going to play. We could be a little better on that end at times, making adjustments and understanding what plays are working. Offensively, I think we are starting to find our rhythm and our identity. Every night a different guy is stepping up for us.”

In the second half it was the bench’s turn to keep the score afloat.

Jason Smith and Channing Frye. had the best second quarter for the team, Smith finished the half with eight points while Frye had 12. Frye especially was deadly, finishing the game with 17 points and making 5 of 7 shots.

The Hornets kept making small runs in the second, consistently cutting the lead to around five points. These runs would occur while Payton sat on the bench.

As soon as he returned, he put any concerns to bed, leading the Magic to a 13-point lead at half time.

Orlando hit nine threes and had 18 assists in the first half while forcing 11 turnovers, probably one of the better ones the Magic have produced this season.

The Hornets came out with similar ball movement, but the Magic matched it with great rotations, never giving a good look up. Every Orlando player on the floor looked incredibly alert and disciplined on the defensive end, indeed it looked like some of the best defense the Magic have played all year, and soon forced a Hornets timeout.

The third quarter was all about steals and slams for the Magic. Barely a minute went by without someone picking off a pass, and ending up all alone for a slam on the other end. Harris did it, Oladipo did it, Payton did it.

Though Kemba Walker managed to get to the basket a few times, it could not change the outcome. The tidal wave for the Magic had overflowed.

“I think guys have really bought into it and they like playing that way. That’s the type of team we are, where everybody is sharing the ball and playing together.” –Nikola Vucevic

“You get a lot of open looks and you can see that guys enjoy it,” Vucevic said. “You look at the box score and you see a bunch of guys between 10 and 15 points and you see us winning. And that’s what matters. I think guys have really bought into it and they like playing that way. That’s the type of team we are, where everybody is sharing the ball and playing together. I think guys are just happy that we are playing well and that we’re winning.”

The Magic used this game to show off who they can be. They used their length and athleticism to wreak havoc on defense, and then make them pay for it on the other end.

Their point guard was able to get the ball moving, the rest of the team followed suit and suddenly every Magic player looked like a better version of themselves. It was a beauty to watch.

The fourth quarter was much the same.

The Hornets never made their push, and the outcome was never in doubt. The Magic broke the Hornets defensive record by hitting 100 points with five minutes left.

Channing Frye perhaps put it best in his post-game interview: “We passed the hell outta that ball.” And those 28 assists were key to the Magic stampeding to the win.

The intense defense and great-looking offense won the day. Orlando hit a season-high 14 threes in the game, and it was mainly because the shooters were pretty open thanks to the ball movement.

The Hornets just could not keep up. The team showed off its potential and gave its home crowd a real treat.

Next: Southeast Division turned upside down

Philip Rossman-Reich contributed to this report.