Charlotte defeats the Magic in a historic night for the franchise

The Charlotte Hornets delivered a spectacular offensive performance, defeating the Orlando Magic 130-111 Thursday night at home. Guard Coby White led this high-flying offense with 27 points, orchestrating a true 3-point festival that made the difference.

A 3-point festival led by four players

White made 5 of his 8 three-point attempts and wasn’t alone in this outside shooting success. Brandon Miller (5 for 10), Kon Knueppel (4 for 9) and LaMelo Ball (3 for 8) also shined from deep, allowing the Hornets to finish with an impressive 21 for 46 from 3-point range.

Coby WHITE

27

PTS

3

REB

5

AST

CHA

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ORL

Miller added 25 points and 8 assists, while Knueppel scored 23 points and Ball 20 points. This collective performance allowed Charlotte to win their fourth game in their last five outings, improving their record to 36 wins and 34 losses.

A historic moment for the franchise

This victory holds special significance for the Hornets, who reach a record of two wins above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2021-2022 season. The franchise hadn’t had a winning record since that 2021-2022 season which finished at 43-39.

The evening was also marked by the retirement of Dell Curry’s number 30 jersey, the former player and current TV commentator, before a seventh consecutive sellout crowd. On the Orlando side (38-31), Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Paolo Banchero 20 points, but it wasn’t enough against the Hornets‘ offensive efficiency.

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The game definitively turned at the end of the first quarter thanks to Josh Green‘s basket just before the buzzer, giving the Hornets a 34-32 advantage. Magic coach Jamahi Mosley was ejected in the second quarter after two technical fouls, leaving his assistant Joe Prunty to finish the game.