Magic rout Hornets 121-90 in play-in game, advance to face Pistons in 1st round of playoffs

Paolo Banchero scored 25 points as Orlando built a 35-point halftime lead and cruised to victory.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:18am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with overlapping planes of blue, orange, and green shapes representing the action on the court.The Magic's dominant performance in the play-in game against the Hornets sets the stage for an intriguing first-round playoff matchup with the top-seeded Pistons.Today in Orlando

The Orlando Magic defeated the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in a play-in tournament elimination game on Friday night. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 25 points as they built a 35-point halftime lead and never looked back. The win earns Orlando the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they will face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round.

Why it matters

The Magic have struggled to find postseason success in recent years, having not won a playoff series since 2010. This win over the Hornets gives them a chance to make some noise against the Pistons, one of the East's top teams. For the Hornets, it marks another disappointing end to the season as they extend their playoff drought to 10 straight years.

The details

The Magic were in control from the opening tip, racing out to a 27-10 lead and stretching it to 68-33 late in the first half. They shot 50% from the field and outrebounded the Hornets 49-34. LaMelo Ball led Charlotte with 23 points, but 21 of those came in the third quarter after the game was already decided. Miles Bridges scored 15 points in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Paolo Banchero

The 25-point performance by the Magic's star forward was the key to their dominant victory.

LaMelo Ball

The Hornets' star guard scored 23 points, but most of his production came after the game was already out of reach.

Miles Bridges

The Hornets forward scored 15 points, but it wasn't enough to prevent Charlotte from missing the playoffs for the 10th straight season.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been physical from the start to take control of the game. I'm proud of the way our guys came out and set the tone.”

— Jamahl Mosley, Magic Head Coach

What’s next

The Magic will face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday on the Pistons' home floor.

The takeaway

This win gives the Magic a chance to make a deep playoff run and potentially end their drought of not winning a postseason series since 2010. However, they face a tough task in taking down the powerhouse Pistons in the opening round.