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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Baron Davis knew someone had to make up
for the absence of Jamal Mashburn and his 20 points per game.
|  | | P.J. Brown and the Hornets knock around John Amaechi and the Magic. |
With Charlotte's leading scorer sidelined with a bruised
sternum, Davis had 23 points and nine assists as the Hornets beat
the Orlando Magic 97-84 Thursday night.
"I was looking to be a little more aggressive," Davis said
after scoring nine points more than his average. "I knew that
collectively we all were going to have to step up and score the
ball because Mash was out."
Davis hit 4-of-5 3-pointers and pulled down five rebounds in his
13th game of scoring 20 or more points. But Davis was most pleased
with the way the Hornets ran their offense.
"Tonight we did a good job of moving the basketball," Davis
said. "We had 26 assists, which is what we want to accomplish each
game."
David Wesley added 18 points and 10 assists and Elden Campbell
shook off a sore right shoulder and left knee to finish with 17
points and 11 rebounds.
Eddie Robinson, who started in place of Mashburn, had 12 points
and eight rebounds as the Hornets won for the eighth time in the
past nine games.
"It was a team effort tonight," Hornets coach Paul Silas said
after his club bounced back from Tuesday's loss to Minnesota where
Mashburn was injured. "You have to find a way to win no matter who
you have, and that's what we did.
Tracy McGrady had 19 points, while Darrell Armstrong had 16 and
Mike Miller 15 for the Magic, who failed to move ahead of the
Hornets into fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Charlotte took the lead for good in the second minute of the
game, but never shook the Magic until Davis hit a 3-pointer with
4:49 remaining to give the Hornets an 88-74 edge.
Orlando shot just 37 percent for the game and committed 18
turnovers one night after a home win against Detroit.
"I tried every lineup I could think of, every defense, and
tried trapping, but some nights you just don't have it," Magic
coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought we may have been a little tired
after last night."
Charlotte led by as many as 11 in the first quarter before
settling for a 29-20 lead at the end of the period. Davis hit
5-of-7 shots, including two dunks off steals.
"They got off to a good start and that was the difference,"
Armstrong said.
The Hornets started the second quarter on an 11-2 run to go up
40-22, but the Magic slowly cut into the lead, pulling to 56-45 at
halftime on a 3-pointer from Miller at the buzzer.
Davis hit a 3-pointer in an 11-0 run as Charlotte took a
20-point lead midway through the third quarter. The Magic responded
with a 13-2 spurt to get back in it. Charlotte led 75-62 after
three quarters.
"They came out with a high intensity and caught us playing
terribly," McGrady said.
Game notes
Silas hopes Mashburn will be able to play Saturday against
Central Division-leading Milwaukee. "We're keeping our fingers
crossed, but he's very sore," Silas said. "He really can't lift
his left arm right now." ... Some members of the Milwaukee Bucks,
including coach George Karl, were at the game. The Bucks flew
directly to Charlotte after their game in Boston on Wednesday. ...
The Magic have lost six of its past eight games in Charlotte.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Charlotte Clubhouse
May: Surging Hornets tease us yet again
RECAPS
Charlotte 97
Orlando 84
San Antonio 93
Portland 79
Houston 99
LA Clippers 87
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