The Orlando Magic stayed hot at home Tuesday night, rolling past the Charlotte Hornets 114-89 in their opening Group A game of the NBA Cup. Franz Wagner led the way with 32 points, while Jalen Suggs gave Orlando an early lift, hitting his first seven shots and finishing with 17 points and two steals.
LaMelo Ball tried to keep Charlotte in it, scoring 16 of his 35 points in the first quarter. He added six rebounds and seven assists, but the Hornets unraveled in the second. Turnovers piled up, the offense stalled, and Wagner carried the Magic on a 19-3 run that stretched the lead to 52-35 at halftime. Orlando never looked back.
Greg Williams added 15 points and Moussa Diabate contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds for Charlotte, but outside of Ball, the Hornets couldn’t generate enough offense.
Orlando once again leaned on its depth without Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., dominating bench scoring 45-27 and clamping down defensively. The win marked the Magic’s third straight home blowout, all by 25 points or more, highlighting their growth and balance early in the season.
With Wagner in attack mode and the defense clicking, Orlando looks like a team ready to make noise in NBA Cup play.
