Nikola Vucevic scored 28 points as the Orlando Magic won for just the second time in their last 10 games, defeating the visiting Charlotte Hornets 117-108 on Monday night.
Vucevic, who reached the 10,000-point career mark a night earlier, shot 11 of 23 from the field, including four of his seven 3-point shots. He also hauled in 12 rebounds.
Cole Anthony added 21 points with four 3-point baskets, Evan Fournier had 19 points and Dwayne Bacon had 15 points for Orlando. It was the first time in the last four outings for the Magic that their game that didn’t go down the final second.
Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier had 24 points each for the Hornets, while Devonté Graham added 21 points as Charlotte lost for the fifth time in its last six games.
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The outcome came just 24 hours after Charlotte’s 107-104 victory against the Magic on the same court when Hayward delivered the winning basket.
Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, who sat out a night earlier because of back and hip ailments, returned to action and posted 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in a starting role. He made just four of his 10 free-throw attempts.
The Magic connected on seven of their 12 3-point attempts in the third quarter. The last two were from Anthony, who stretched the Magic’s to 83-63 with five minutes remaining in the quarter.
There was no fourth-quarter comeback for the Hornets this time, as the Magic kept their lead in double digits for a large chunk of the period.
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Charlotte led 30-19 after one quarter but trailed 55-54 at halftime.
The Hornets shot just 11-for-38 from 3-point range in the game. Their reserves combined to go 0 of 13 on 3-point attempts. Backups Cody Zeller (11 points) and Miles Bridges (10 points) aided the offense off the bench.
The game marked the first regular-season NBA contest in history with two female officials as Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder worked with Sean Wright.
–Field Level Media