National Basketball Association
Preview
Charlotte at Orlando
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida

The Orlando Magic will look for a more balanced effort throughout the lineup on Wednesday night when they conclude a three-game homestand against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Magic were reduced to the two-man show of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in their 112-106 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

Wagner matched a season high with 37 points and Banchero added 31 on a combined 25-for-51 shooting performance from the field (7 of 17 from 3-point range). Unfortunately for Orlando, the rest of the team's players were limited to single-digit scoring.

"Me and (Wagner) being the two guys -- 29 attempts and 22 attempts," Banchero said. "The next highest is six attempts. So, you could say (that) maybe we can get more guys involved and we've got to figure out ways that we can do that."

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley took issue with his team's unintentional generosity, with its 18 turnovers leading to 20 points by the Hawks.

"I really think it's the spacing, the timing, where guys are on the floor, being patient," Mosley said. "The ball has to move faster than bodies. Not holding it. So, understanding exactly where guys are going to be on the floor."

Wagner paced Orlando to a pair of wins over Charlotte this season. He collected 32 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in a 114-89 victory at home on Nov. 12 and 21 points, seven assists and four steals in a 95-84 road triumph on Nov. 25.

Banchero missed both of those games during a two-plus-month absence due to a right oblique injury.

Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball erupted for 35 and 44 points in those games, however he has been ruled out for Wednesday's game due to ankle soreness.

Ball missed five games bridging January and February due to a sprained left ankle before playing 36 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. He then sat out versus the Detroit Pistons on Sunday because of left ankle soreness and missed the final three quarters of a 97-89 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday due to right ankle soreness.

Moussa Diabate scored a career-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds on Monday before exiting with a right eye abrasion.

"I think he's a product of the environment that we're creating," Hornets coach Charles Lee said. "It's a lot of the coaching staff, it's a lot of his teammates talking to him, and he's definitely come in and just continued to add a spark. He has spirit -- a competitive spirit -- which is great. I'm glad to see he's getting rewarded for it, too."

Rookies Tidjane Salaun and KJ Simpson made significant impacts on Monday, with the former scoring 16 points while the latter had nine to go along with nine rebounds.

Injuries and a woeful shooting performance from 3-point range (19.4 percent), however, contributed mightily as Charlotte fell for the eighth time in nine games.

--Field Level Media

Stats and Records
Team Comparison
  W/L Strk Home Away Day Night Div Conf
Charlotte 13-38 L2 9-20 4-18 3-3 10-35 0-9 7-29
Orlando 26-29 L1 16-10 10-19 2-1 24-28 5-3 20-16
Last Meeting
Charlotte Orlando
Date Away Home Pts Reb FG% Pts Reb FG%
11/25/24 ORL 95 CHA 84 84 52 41.3 95 39 39.4
Player Stats
Previous Matchup
Points Player Total FG% FTM
Charlotte L. Ball 44 56.7 6
Orlando F. Wagner 21 47.1 3
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
Charlotte B. Miller 10 1 9
Orlando C. Anthony 8 1 7
Assists Player  
Charlotte L. Ball 7
Orlando F. Wagner 7
Season
Points Player Total FG% FTM
Charlotte L. Ball 961 41.4 149
Orlando F. Wagner 910 45.8 180
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
Charlotte M. Diabate 335 143 192
Orlando G. Bitadze 379 127 252
Assists Player  
Charlotte L. Ball 261
Orlando A. Black 186
Quickchart Matchup
Charlotte Charlotte Off vs  Orlando Orlando Defense
Charlotte Off vs Orlando - Points For 106.6 Points For
Charlotte Off vs Orlando - Points Against 105.8 Points Against
Charlotte - FG% 43.0 FG%
Orlando - FG% 47.5 FG%
Charlotte - Reb 45.7 Reb
Orlando - Reb 41.4 Reb
Orlando Orlando Off vs  Charlotte Charlotte Defense
Orlando Off vs Charlotte - Points For 104.0 Points For
Orlando Off vs Charlotte - Points Against 112.0 Points Against
Orlando - FG% 44.0 FG%
Charlotte - FG% 46.5 FG%
Orlando - Reb 41.5 Reb
Charlotte - Reb 44.2 Reb