The Orlando Magic laid another one of their eggs, struggling to get anything going and falling to the Charlotte Hornets by 40 points on the road.
Early in the first quarter, the Orlando Magic got the deflection they desperately needed to try to break the Charlotte Hornets’ momentum. It was the kind of disruptive defensive play that tends to throw a team’s rhythm off, at least for a possession. Maybe it could turn into a turnover or a runout or just something to feel good about.
Nicolas Batum jumped toward the backcourt and saved it for Kemba Walker. Elfrid Payton was a bit late or unaware and caught out of position. Batum delivered it perfectly to Walker who stepped into a 3-pointer, one of three he made in the first quarter.
The Charlotte Hornets scored the first eight points of the game and were off and running from there.
Charlotte shot 59.5 percent and made 10 of 21 3-pointers in routing the Magic 121-81 at Spectrum Center on Friday. The Magic made one push to tie the game in the first quarter and then quickly succumbed to the Hornets’ onslaught of shooting and stifling defense.
Charlotte made its share of tough shots to demoralize the Orlando defense. But the Magic did not help themselves offensively. Orlando shot 40.8 percent from the floor and just 5 for 27 (18.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Magic were extremely stagnant on that end with only Elfrid Payton’s 12 assists and Aaron Gordon‘s activity around the basket the only positive. The Magic never gained traction. The run never came.
And as has been the case for the Magic so often this season, they seemed to get more frustrated and try to shoot themselves out of it. The Hornets walled off the paint well and prevented any dribble penetration. Orlando was forcing things the entire game.
Eventually, it all broke. The Hornets kept making shots, creating their own opportunities and getting all the breaks.
Nothing seemed more emphatic than Marvin Williams diving down the lane and jamming all over Bismack Biyombo. The Magic were as defenseless as Biyombo was on that play.