Vasilije Micic scored 21 points while Brandon Miller and Tre Mann added 18 apiece, but the Charlotte Hornets lost a physical battle to the Orlando Magic, 101-89.
Both teams got off to slow, sloppy starts. The Hornets, and Vasilije Micic in particular, were the first to get untracked and took an early lead. Turnovers and Miles Bridges missed shots stymied the Hornets offense and let the Magic go on a 16-2 run that lasted until the final seconds of the quarter. The Hornets turned the ball over seven times (five being live ball turnovers) and only grabbed five total rebounds. The sloppy opening frame put them in a five point hole.
The second quarter was largely uneventful. The Hornets briefly went on a small run thanks in part to a Davis Bertans layup and a couple of his threes that helped even the game. Brandon Miller added his own three off a curl in the last minute to pull the Hornets within one before a pair of Anthony Black free throws set the margin at three at the half.
The Hornets were gifted a 5-point play early in the second half when Jalen Suggs ran underneath Micic while shooting a three and was called for a flagrant. Micic hit all three free throws then Tre Mann made a floater after the Hornets retained possession. Brandon Miller gave the Hornets the lead a few moments later with a three from the wing. Miles Bridges briefly had to leave the game after getting his wrist hyperextended going for a rebound. The game got chippy after that. Brandon Miller got stripped and probably fouled by a Magic double team. Steve Clifford got in the face of an official and earned himself a technical foul. The Hornets got visibly frustrated by the lack of friendly whistles and the Magic capitalized with a run despite two technicals of their own that gave them a nine point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
