Magic defeat Hornets, 121-90 advance to first round of NBA Playoffs against Pistons
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Magic (46-37) and the Charlotte Hornets (44-39) took the court for the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament on Friday, with the Magic defeating the Hornets, 121-90.
With the win, the Magic secured the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and a trip to the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Magic will now fly to Detroit to face the Pistons in a seven-game series that will begin on Sunday. Orlando will have their next home game on April 25 at 1 p.m.
Big picture view:
Paolo Banchero scored 25 points as Orlando built a commanding early lead and never looked back in a 121-90 victory. The Magic led by 31 at halftime — the largest halftime margin in the play-in tournament’s history — and shot 50% from the field while holding Charlotte to 34%.
Franz Wagner added 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 16 points on efficient shooting. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 23 points, most of them coming after the outcome was effectively decided.
Orlando took control early, opening with a 27-10 run and extending the lead to 68-33 late in the first half. The Hornets never cut the deficit below 20 points the rest of the game. The victory clinched the No. 8 seed and set up a first-round series beginning Sunday against the Detroit Pistons.
The play-in tournament, introduced in 2021, determines the final playoff spots in each conference. Orlando has been eliminated in the first round in each of the past two postseasons and has not advanced past the opening round since 2010.
Charlotte, meanwhile, extended its playoff drought to 10 consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NBA. The Hornets last reached the postseason in 2016.
The win signals momentum for a young Orlando team entering the playoffs, though it now faces a top-seeded Detroit squad in a best-of-seven series. The teams split their regular-season meetings 2-2, suggesting a potentially competitive matchup despite Orlando entering as the lower seed.
Key NBA Playoff dates
- Regular season ended: April 12, 2026
- Play-In Tournament: April 14–17
- NBA Playoffs (First Round) begin: April 18
First round (best-of-7 series)
- Runs roughly April 18 through early May (around May 3)
- Features 8 matchups (4 per conference)
Later rounds
- Conference semifinals: early–mid May (exact dates vary)
- Conference finals: mid–late May (TBD dates)
NBA Finals
- Game 1: June 3, 2026
- Possible Game 7: June 19, 2026
Example opening weekend (April 18–19)
- Multiple Game 1 matchups start April 18 (Cavaliers–Raptors, Nuggets–Timberwolves, Knicks–Hawks, Lakers–Rockets)
- Additional series begin April 19, including top seeds entering play
Key Matchups & Schedule (Eastern Time)
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
Game 1: Sun, April 19 @ Boston (1 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Tue, April 21 @ Boston (7 p.m., Peacock)
Game 3: Fri, April 24 @ Philadelphia (7 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 4: Sun, April 26 @ Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Sat, April 18 @ New York (6 p.m.)
Game 2: Mon, April 20 @ New York (8 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
Game 3: Thu, April 23 @ Atlanta (7 p.m.)
Game 4: Sat, April 25 @ Atlanta (6 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
Game 1: Sat, April 18 @ Cleveland (1 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 2: Mon, April 20 @ Cleveland (7 p.m., Peacock)
Game 3: Thu, April 23 @ Toronto (8 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 4: Sun, April 26 @ Toronto (1 p.m., ESPN)
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
Game 1: Sun, April 19 @ Detroit (6:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
Game 2: Wed, April 22 @ Detroit (7 p.m.)
Game 3: Sat, April 25 @ Orlando (1 p.m., Peacock)
Game 4: Mon, April 27 @ Orlando
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Winner of Golden State Warriors / Phoenix Suns
Game 1: Sun, April 19 @ OKC (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Wed, April 22 @ OKC (9:30 p.m., ESPN)
Game 3: Sat, April 25 @ TBD (3:30 p.m., NBC)
Game 4: Mon, April 27 @ TBD
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers
Game 1: Sun, April 19 @ San Antonio (9 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
Game 2: Tue, April 21 @ San Antonio (8 p.m., NBC)
Game 3: Fri, April 24 @ Portland (10:30 p.m., Prime Video)
Game 4: Sun, April 26 @ Portland (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Sat, April 18 @ Denver (time TBD)
Game 2: Mon, April 20 @ Denver (time TBD)
Game 3: Thu, April 23 @ Minnesota (time TBD)
Game 4: Sat, April 25 @ Minnesota (time TBD)
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
Game 1: Sat, April 18 @ LA (7:30 p.m. CT)
Game 2: Tue, April 21 @ LA (9:30 p.m. CT)
Game 3: Fri, April 24 @ Houston (7 p.m. CT)
Game 4: Sun, April 26 @ Houston (8:30 p.m. CT)
Note: Games 5–7 (if necessary) will be scheduled at a later date.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the NBA.