[Charlotte_______]

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Orlando Magic (32-34) vs Charlotte Bobcats (12-50)

Starting Lineups:

vs.

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Key Reserves

Battie| Turkoglu | Augmon | Kasun

Hart | Caroll | Alexander | Ely


Key Matchup:

vs

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[Tersk]

Click here to bet on the Match

Orlando: 103
Charlotte: 100

 

[Tersk]

The Orlando Magic try to continue their playoff push without Steve Francis when they complete a four-game road trip against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Francis is suspended indefinitely for kicking a photographer during Friday's loss at Seattle. He is Orlando's leading scorer at 21.9 points per game and also averages a team-high 6.9 assists.

The Magic played without Francis and posted a 97-92 win at Portland on Saturday to end a season-high seven-game losing streak. The win also lifted Orlando into a tie with Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference.

``We are definitely a playoff team,'' Orlando guard DeShawn Stevenson said. ``Everybody is believing that.''

Stevenson received his second straight start and scored 16 points as Orlando posted its first win under interim coach Chris Jent. Jent took over after general manager John Weisbrod fired Johnny Davis last Thursday.

``This was very special,'' Jent said. ``The team gave me the game ball and it was even more special because Grant Hill gave it to me.''

Orlando can salvage a split of the road trip with a win Monday. The Magic have lost 10 of their last 12 road games.

Charlotte has matched a season high with 10 straight losses. The Bobcats, who also dropped 10 straight from Jan. 7-27, were beaten at Dallas 104-93 on Saturday.

Keith Bogans drilled a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 27 points to lead Charlotte. Rookie Emeka Okafor grabbed 10 rebounds but the Bobcats were outrebounded 49-33.

Point guard Brevin Knight, who is second in the NBA with 8.4 rebounds per game, had five of Charlotte's 16 turnovers.

``I had five turnovers,'' Knight said. ``That is what I look at. That is the first stat I look at -- turnovers. That means I am giving them opportunities at the basket. I had too many of them.''

The game will feature the matchup between Okafor and Orlando's Dwight Howard -- the top two picks of the 2004 draft. Okafor has 34 double-doubles to lead all rookies and Howard has a team-high 23.

The teams have split two meetings. Charlotte posted the first win in franchise history with a 111-100 victory over Orlando on Nov. 6.

 

[DHarris34Phan]

Steve Francis is out, so this gives Charlotte a little better chance, but I think that Orlando still has to many weapons for the young Bobcats to overcome....

Orlando-99
Charlotte-90

 

[Tersk]

Bogans has really emerged as a nice player since Rush has been out, he has 10 already in this match

Get on Grant Hill someone, he's got 14 already :-\

 

[Tersk]

Halftime

Orlando up 11 (55-44)

Emeka Okafor: 7 points (3-11)/8 rebounds/3 blocks

Dwight Howard: 19 points(7-10)/7 rebounds

 

[Tersk]

Emeka held Dwight Howard scoreless the whole 3rd quarter, while having a rather nice quarter himself (7/2)

Bobcats with a huge 3rd quarter, letting in 18 points and scoring 28.

Down 1, with 12 minutes remaining

 

[Charlotte_______]

Bobcats 80 Orlando 76

Emeka Okafor:14 points (6-17)/10 rebounds/3 blocks

Dwight Howard: 19 points(7-11)/10 rebounds

 

[YoYoYoWasup]

Well, we gave that game away, enjoy. The Magic's refusal to get Howard the ball in the second half cost them the game.

 

[Charlotte_______]

Finally a win!

Okafor 43mins (7-18) 13rebs 1ast 2TOs 3blks 17pts
Howard 34mins(8-12) 13rebs 2ast 5TOs 0blks 21pts

With Howard edging Okafor out with a slightly better game. But a W is always nice

 

[Tersk]

What a great second half -- 58-42

<marquee>Bobcats win :banana:</marquee>

We've tied the season series against Orlando :biggrin: (with 1 game left), hopefully this can be our first season series win

 

[YoYoYoWasup]

What a great second half -- 58-42

<marquee>Bobcats win :banana:</marquee>

We've tied the season series against Orlando :biggrin: (with 1 game left), hopefully this can be our first season series win

You lead the series 2-1 actually right now, which is pretty damn embarrassing if you're a Magic fan. The Magic I'm sure will win in Orlando but we really screwed the pooch in this game blowing a 16 point lead.

 

[Captain Obvious]

You lead the series 2-1 actually right now, which is pretty damn embarrassing if you're a Magic fan. The Magic I'm sure will win in Orlando but we really screwed the pooch in this game blowing a 16 point lead.

The Magic blow, at this point it's dumb luck if they actually beat anybody.

 

[ToddMacCulloch11]

As a nets fan, I'm very glad to see the cats pull it out tonight.

 

[Anima]

What a great win for the Cats coming back like that.

Okafor is looking better all the time but he really needs to work on his FT shooting if he wants to make it to the next level.

 

[speedythief]

Brezec is a player. If you guys get a chance to draft Bogut, I'd hesitate. It's too bad Marvin Williams and Rudy Gay aren't in the draft this year, those are wing men you could really use. Chris Paul might have to suffice.