Who’s Playing
Orlando @ Charlotte
Current Records: Orlando 21-59; Charlotte 40-39
What to Know
The Charlotte Hornets will be returning home after a three-game road trip. Charlotte and the Orlando Magic will face off in a Southeast Division battle at 7 p.m. ET Thursday at Spectrum Center. The Hornets need to shore up a defense that is allowing 115.13 points per contest.
Charlotte has to be hurting after a devastating 144-115 defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The losing side was boosted by power forward Miles Bridges, who had 29 points along with six boards.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn’t a dominant performance, Orlando beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-115 on Tuesday. Center Mo Bamba was the offensive standout of the matchup for Orlando, shooting 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and finishing with a double-double on 21 points and 12 rebounds in addition to six blocks. That makes it three consecutive games in which Bamba has had at least ten rebounds.
Orlando’s win brought them up to 21-59 while the Hornets’ loss pulled them down to 40-39. The Magic have been eliminated from playoff contention. Charlotte is still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, so these next three games are critical for them. They are expected to win this handily, but they should have beaten the Detroit Pistons Feb. 27 easily too and instead slipped up with a 127-126. In other words, don’t count Orlando out just yet.
How To Watch
When: Thursday at 7 p.m. ETWhere: Spectrum Center — Charlotte, North CarolinaTV: Bally Sports SE CharlotteOnline streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)Follow: CBS Sports AppTicket Cost: $6.66
Odds
The Hornets are a big 13.5-point favorite against the Magic, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Hornets as a 13-point favorite.
Over/Under: -107
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