Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic Prediction & Match Preview - January 25th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Charlotte Hornets continue their two-game set against the Orlando Magic on Monday. The Orlando Magic lost by three points in the first matchup last night, and have fallen to 7-10 for the season.
The Charlotte Hornets are having a mediocre NBA season themselves, and enter the game with a 7-9 record. Both sides are set to battle it out for the last few playoff spots this season.
Match Details
Fixture: Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic
Date & Time: Monday, January 25, 2021 at 7:00 PM ET (January 26, Tuesday at 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Check out the NBA schedule here.
Orlando Magic Preview
Several players on the Orlando Magic roster are out with injury. As a result, the franchise have lost eight of their last nine fixtures. The Magic played quite well against the Hornets in their first matchup but couldn't close out the game.
They will have another attempt tonight and will look to even out the two-game series. The Magic are currently ranked 20th in the league in offensive rating. This illustrates the fact that their players need to step up and win a string of games to get some rhythm going.
Key Player - Nikola Vucevic
Orlando Magic's best player so far this season has been Nikola Vucevic. The 30-year-old is averaging a double-double, with 23.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game at the moment.
The Montenegrin is leading the team in minutes played, points, rebounds, steals, and blocks, while also averaging the least turnovers among their five starters.
He had 22 points and 13 rebounds in their first game against the Hornets on Sunday. Naturally, Charlotte will be focused on stopping Vucevic tonight.
Orlando Magic Predicted Lineup
G - Cole Anthony, G - Evan Fournier, F - James Ennis III, F - Aaron Gordon, C - Nikola Vucevic
Charlotte Hornets Preview
The Charlotte Hornets are in a similar situation as the Orlando Magic. They too are struggling to win games and their chances of entering the playoffs appear slim.
However, the majority of the season is left and if their players make the leap, the Charlotte Hornets might end their playoff drought this season.
The Charlotte Hornets won the first game against Orlando by a margin of three points as Gordon Hayward scored 39 points, which included the game-winner.
Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball had 11 points, eight assists and two threes, along with a steal in that game.
Key Player - Gordon Hayward
The Charlotte Hornets' major offseason signing Gordon Hayward will be the focus of the game following his impressive performance last night.
Hayward will need to be consistent throughout the season if the Hornets were to have any chance of making the playoffs this year. The Magic defense will be engaged in stopping Hayward this game.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
G - Devonte Graham, G - Terry Rozier, F - Gordon Hayward, F - P.J. Washington, C - Cody Zeller
Hornets vs Magic Match Prediction
It is tough to predict the outcome of this encounter as the two teams are so evenly matched. Their first game was pretty close and we should expect the second fixture to be the same as well.
However, the Charlotte Hornets' earlier win gives them a slight edge over the Orlando Magic.
Where to watch Hornets vs Magic?
The Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic game will be locally broadcast on Fox Sports Florida and Fox Sports Southeast in the US. For the fans outside the US, the game will also be live-streamed on the NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA rookie of the year 2021: January Power Rankings