Orlando Magic Weekly Preview: January 19-24
By Joe Buckley
Friday, Jan. 22: vs. Charlotte Hornets
At one point not too long ago, the Charlotte Hornets were the surprise of the year and held the 2nd seed in the East for over a week. Unfortunately, as they have in years past, the Hornets have watched their encouraging start falter and wither before them.
They sit at 18-22 entering their game Monday against the Utah Jazz, good for just the 12th spot. They are 1-9 in their last 10, including a seven-game losing streak (although it should be noted that their one win was against the Atlanta Hawks). In fact, they have only won two games in a row once since early December.
The Hornets still have talent with Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lin and Nicholas Batum, but injuries are hitting them hard as Al Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist continue to miss time. Unfortunately, despite offseason changes and early success, this team seems to be stuck in the same spot each year.
Encouraging start, but ultimately limited results.
The Magic last saw the Hornets for a home hame back on Dec. 16, a 113-98 victory for the Magic. The teams had near identical records at the time and this was one of the Magic’s better looking wins. The top scorer for the Hornets was Jeremy Lamb with 16 (also currently out with a toe injury), while the Magic had seven players in double figures with Nikola Vucevic claiming 14 points and eight rebounds and Elfrid Payton having 12 points and nine assists assists himself.
The Hornets are a good matchup for the Magic right now. They are struggling enough for the Magic to hold an advantage, but still dangerous enough to test Orlando and keep them on their toes. A win would give the Magic some much needed confidence on the way to the terrifying schedule that awaits them later in the month.
Next: What We Learned This Week