Hornets looking to Punch Ticket to the Playoffs!

By Sharon Thorsland

The Hornets are a game away from their first NBA Playoffs appearance in a decade. They take on the Orlando Magic (45-37) on Friday night in the second round of the Play-in Tournament, and a win would give them the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Tip-off is set for 7:30 at the Kia Center in Orlando.

The Hornets (44-38) are coming off a thrilling, 127-126 overtime win over the Miami Heat, while the Magic fell to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. These teams met four times in the regular season, with the Hornets winning three of those games by a combined score of 61 points. Their only loss was back in October, when the Hornets looked like a totally different team. The Magic does have a lot of talent, starting with former Duke standout Paolo Banchero. The fourth year forward is averaging over 22 points, 8 rebounds and five assists per game. Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane also average over 20 points a game, and point guard Jalen Suggs is an excellent perimeter defender. Another former Blue Devil, Wendell Carter Jr., starts at center. The Magic got a boost this week with the return of guard Anthony Black, who missed 16-games with an abdominal strain. Black averaged 16 points in three games against the Hornets and shot over 44% from behind the arc. The Magic like to attack the basket and are among the league leaders in free-throw attempts.

The Hornets counter with a trio of sharp-shooters in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, who all average over 18.5 points per game. Knueppel is shooting over 42% from behind the arc, and Miles Bridges adds 17.1 points a game. Veteran guard Coby White has been outstanding down the stretch, nailing the game-tying three that forced overtime against the Heat. The Hornets are playing elite offense right now and have proven they can beat the Magic.

After their thrilling win Tuesday night, the Hornets should be riding high headed into this one. And going on the road isn’t a problem; the Hornets beat the Magic in Orlando by an average of 21 points this season. Look for the Hornets to take care of business and move on to the playoffs where they’ll take on the top-seeded Pistons in Detroit on Sunday.