ORLANDO, Fla. — Before the Magic took to the Kia Center court against the Hornets on Friday night, coach Jamahl Mosley said Charlotte‘s 10-20 record wasn’t indicative of what the team was capable of accomplishing.

Mosley made it clear Orlando needed to focus on taking care of the little things in order to secure the desired outcome during their second meeting of the season against the Southeast Division foe.

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And he wasn’t wrong on either viewpoint.

The Magic trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half and by as many as 24 in the third quarter as Charlotte exited a sold-out Kia Center on top, 120-105, outrebounding Orlando 53-42 with 25 second-chance points.

Charlotte (11-20) had seven scorers finish in double figures, including 22 from star LaMelo Ball. The Hornets shot 19 for 39 (48.7%) from 3-point range.

In comparison, Orlando ended 11 for 35 (31.4%) from distance, nothing came easy on offense and the team couldn’t come up with the necessary defensive stops to mount a comeback.

The Magic (17-14) return to Kia Center on Saturday for the second game of a back-to-back when three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets (who beat Orlando by 11 points Dec. 18) make their lone trip of the season to Central Florida.

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Starting 5

The Magic playing without Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) and Jalen Suggs (left hip bruise) again, Tyus Jones and Anthony Black remained in the starting lineup alongside Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. (16 points) against the Hornets.

Black, who had scored 19-plus points in the past four games, posted 15 in the first half, hitting his first three triples. He added his fourth 3-pointer in the fourth, registering 24 total points in 36 minutes.

While Black had some success from distance, Bane and Banchero did not. The pair combined to shoot 0 for 4 from 3 before the break and ended 0 for 8 distance.

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Bane drove to the basket early to reach 10 points by the half but was responsible for all three of Orlando’s first-quarter turnovers. He ended with 15 points.

Banchero missed his first three shots from the floor, opened 1 for 5 and couldn’t find his footing the rest of the night. The Magic forward ended 4 for 13 with 13 points in 31 minutes.

Second unit

The Magic upgraded Tristan da Silva from probable to available earlier in the day after he had missed the past four contests due to a right shoulder bruise.

The second-year pro had eight points with two assists.

Charlotte’s bench outscored Orlando’s 41-29.

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Reserve center Goga Bitadze (left knee strain) missed his second straight game.

Rookie watch

Jase Richardson and Noah Penda entered in the first quarter but failed to make an offensive impact early.

Penda missed first three shots from the floor, including a pair of 3s, and played 8 minutes through the first three frames. Richardson got on the board late in the third quarter with a triple and ended with 14 points in 22 minutes.

Hornets No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel posted 16 points but did not return in the second half due to a right ankle injury.

Magic give back

At halftime of Friday’s game, the Magic surprised a local family with a variety of gifts as part of NBA Cares Season of Giving.

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With help from president of business operations Charlie Freeman and Magic community ambassador Bo Outlaw, the team presented a family of four a new 2026 Kia Sorento EX, $5,000 for home furnishings courtesy of AdventHealth, family meals for a year from Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, a three-day, two-night stay at Caribe Royale, four Chick-fil-A for a year packs, one phone and three tablets with service from Total Wireless, a free ice cream party at Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, four gift bundles from hair ties company Teleties, a 65-inch TV, an air fryer, a kitchen aid mixer, pots and pans, arts and crafts and other household essentials to assist them through difficult times.

It marked the 17th consecutive season the Magic have hosted one family around the holidays for “The Big Give.”