The Orlando Magic return home to face the Charlotte Hornets as they look for their first win of the season and some respite after a first week full of injuries and frustration.
Orlando Magic (0-5) vs. Charlotte Hornets (2-2)
Time/TV: 7p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line: Hornets by 2
Tickets: $26-$1,799 on StubHub
Season Series: Tonight in Orlando; Nov. 14 in Orlando; Feb. 5 in Charlotte; March 2 in Charlotte
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 102.9 | 117.7 | 111.1 | 56.1 | 31.7 | 13.7 | 25.5 |
| Orlando | 99.4 | 105.0 | 113.5 | 50.1 | 27.4 | 14.8 | 28.0 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic are seemingly in a pit of despair. The team is without a healthy point guard thanks to Cole Anthony’s fresh injury suffered in Wednesday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And the team is frustrated — clearly frustrated — they have not been able to get over the hump and get a win quite yet.
The team needs some relief to get there. And it feels like once the pressure is released, the Magic will be able to build some momentum once they get the confidence that comes from winning and seeing everything work. Getting everything to tie together will be difficult.
The Charlotte Hornets are not the typical Steve Clifford team. They do not quite have their defense set in and they are very dynamic offensively — even without LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. But they are a Steve Clifford team in that they do not make a ton of mistakes to hurt themselves and they are very disciplined at the things they are good at.
That will require the Magic to be on point. Being at home may very well help.
3 Keys To Watch
Home cooking?
The Orlando Magic’s biggest weakness right now is the team’s complete lack of three-point shooting. Orlando is not afraid to shoot and generally takes good shots. But the team is missing shots on an alarming basis.
The team is 11 for 37 when the closest defender is 4-6 feet away and 18 for 62 on shots with the closest defender six or more feet away, according to NBA.com. Those are bad percentages. But the Magic have taken only 157 3-pointers so far this season, meaning 63.1 percent of their shots are categorized as open. The team needs some faith they will fall.
So far at the Amway Center, they have. The Orlando Magic made 15 of 34 3-pointers in the loss to the Boston Celtics (the team’s only regular season home game). The Magic made a combined 24 of 74 3-pointers in the two preseason home games.
That percentage is not great. But it is better than the 29 percent the team is shooting overall in the regular season. Maybe Orlando needs some time at home to regain some rhythm and confidence.
Turnovers Turnovers Turnovers
The Orlando Magic’s games have all had a similar rhyme to them. And usually, it starts with bad shooting and then compounds with turnovers.
The Magic are 22nd in the league in turnover rate at 15.3 percent. They are 24th in the league giving up 20.2 points off turnovers per game. That is a big deficit to overcome. Many of those shots are easy too — although surprisingly Orlando is 14th in the league giving up just 14.8 fast-break points per game.
This is really about an opportunity cost lost. If the Magic turned the ball over less, they would get more offensive opportunities to score. And that along with their increase in free throw attempts would help the offense improve.
Right now many of the improvements the offense has made is hidden by both the team’s inability to make shots and the turnovers that give away opportunities.
Cole Injury
Cole Anthony’s injury leaves the Orlando Magic in a very tricky bind. The team has no healthy point guards with both Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs out. To be sure, this is a major detriment to the team.
A lot of the Magic’s problems getting into their offense and getting the ball moving starts with the lack of organization that comes from not having experience at the position. Franz Wagner is theoretically an interesting initiator in pick and rolls, but that is very different from bringing the ball up, initiating offense and keeping things moving. The frustration is written on his face.
Orlando though has to find a way. And part of what the team has to do is make things easier for him and the others to get into the offense. The coaching staff has to make adjustments to try to play to players’ strengths and make them comfortable. Even if that means simplifying things, eliminating experiments and just doing enough to get by right now.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.