Game ID: 22500627
Charlotte Hornets @ Orlando Magic
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
ORL 20 21 26 30 97CHA 35 27 35 27 124
CHA @ ORL ScoutingCHA @ ORL Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
ORL availability going into 1/09 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 13 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Suggs missed 3 since 1/04, out tonight
BACK Penda back 1/06 after 2, 29 min since (229% of 13)
BACK Howard back 1/04 after 3, 11 min since (87% of 12)
BACK Isaac back 1/04 after 2, 11 min since (111% of 10)
NEW Richardson 11 to 17 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 1/11 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 14 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Suggs missed 4 since 1/04, out tonight
BACK Penda back 1/06 after 2, 29 min since (231% of 13)
BACK Howard back 1/04 after 3, 10 min since (83% of 12)
BACK Isaac back 1/04 after 2, 10 min since (101% of 10)
NEW Richardson 11 to 20 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 1/15
OUT Fra. Wagner missed 15 since 12/09, tonight's box is missing
OUT Suggs missed 5 since 1/04, tonight's box is missing
BACK Penda back 1/06 after 2, 31 min since (247% of 13)
BACK Howard back 1/04 after 3, 10 min since (83% of 12)
BACK Isaac back 1/04 after 2, 10 min since (98% of 10)
NEW Richardson 11 to 20 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 1/18
OUT Fra. Wagner missed 15 since 12/09, tonight's box is missing
OUT Suggs missed 5 since 1/04, tonight's box is missing
BACK Penda back 1/06 after 2, 31 min since (247% of 13)
NEW Richardson 11 to 17 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 1/22 · 3 days' restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 15 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Suggs missed 5 since 1/04, out tonight
NEW Black 29 to 37 min over the last 3
NEW Penda 13 to 33 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 1/24 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 16 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Suggs missed 6 since 1/04, returns tonight: 24 min (86% of 28)
NEW Penda 13 to 29 min over the last 3
NEW Richardson 11 to 16 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 1/26 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 17 since 12/09, out tonight
BACK Suggs back 1/24 after 6, 24 min since (86% of 28)
NEW Black 29 to 35 min over the last 3
NEW Penda 13 to 24 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 1/28 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 18 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 2 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Howard missed 2 since 1/24, out tonight
BACK Suggs back 1/24 after 6, 26 min since (91% of 28)
NEW Black 29 to 35 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 1/30 · 1 day's restOUT Fra. Wagner missed 19 since 12/09, out tonight
OUT Bitadze missed 2 since 1/26, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 3 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Howard missed 3 since 1/24, out tonight
BACK Suggs back 1/24 after 6, 27 min since (95% of 28)
NEW Black 29 to 36 min over the last 4
CHA availability going into 1/15 · 2 days' restOUT Hall missed 2 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 2 since 1/10, out tonight
BACK Diabaté back 1/05 after 2, 31 min since (119% of 26)
BACK Kalkbrenner back 1/10 after 10, 18 min since (85% of 21)
BACK Williams back 1/10 after 31, 14 min since (68% of 20)
BACK Mann back 1/05 after 3, 9 min since (70% of 13)
CHA availability going into 1/17 · 1 day's restOUT Hall missed 3 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 3 since 1/10, out tonight
BACK Kalkbrenner back 1/10 after 10, 17 min since (80% of 21)
BACK Williams back 1/10 after 31, 14 min since (68% of 20)
BACK Mann back 1/10 after 2, 12 min since (98% of 13)
NEW Diabaté 26 to 31 min over the last 5
CHA availability going into 1/18 · back-to-backOUT Hall missed 4 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 4 since 1/10, out tonight
BACK Kalkbrenner back 1/10 after 10, 19 min since (89% of 21)
BACK Williams back 1/10 after 31, 15 min since (73% of 20)
BACK Mann back 1/10 after 2, 10 min since (76% of 13)
NEW Diabaté 26 to 31 min over the last 4
CHA availability going into 1/21 · 2 days' restOUT Hall missed 5 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 5 since 1/10, out tonight
BACK Kalkbrenner back 1/10 after 10, 20 min since (93% of 21)
BACK Williams back 1/10 after 31, 15 min since (73% of 20)
BACK Mann back 1/10 after 2, 10 min since (81% of 13)
CHA availability going into 1/22 · back-to-backOUT Hall missed 6 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 6 since 1/10, out tonight
CHA availability going into 1/24 · 1 day's restOUT Hall missed 7 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT Mann missed 2 since 1/21, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 7 since 1/10, out tonight
CHA availability going into 1/26 · 1 day's restOUT Hall missed 8 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT Mann missed 3 since 1/21, returns tonight: 12 min (95% of 13)
OUT McNeeley missed 8 since 1/10, out tonight
CHA availability going into 1/28 · 1 day's restOUT Hall missed 9 since 1/10, out tonight
OUT McNeeley missed 9 since 1/10, returns tonight: 6 min (51% of 12)
BACK Mann back 1/26 after 3, 12 min since (95% of 13)
CHA availability going into 1/29 · back-to-backOUT Hall missed 10 since 1/10, out tonight
BACK Mann back 1/26 after 3, 8 min since (60% of 13)
BACK McNeeley back 1/28 after 9, 6 min since (51% of 12)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 26 free throws a game; Banchero at 22 and Bane at 21 a game. Without Fra. Wagner (15 straight), Suggs (5 straight). 3 days' rest. Charlotte comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 32 from three, 16 free throws a game; Miller at 23 and Knueppel at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Hall (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the line, where Orlando takes 26 free throws a game to Charlotte's 16 and the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-8 a night and Orlando plus-2. Call it Orlando 116, Charlotte 112, Charlotte keeping it close.
1/09 vs PHI 91-103 — ORL notes
ORL lost 91-103. ORL shot 41% (36 of 88) to PHI's 41%, 4 of 29 from three, and got to the line 18 times to PHI's 24. ORL turned it over 18 times to PHI's 12, and PHI turned those into 12 steals. The glass went 42-52 against them. Bane led with 23 (9 of 19, 0 of 3 from three); Black added 21, Banchero 14. Q1 was theirs, 28-24, but the other 3 periods went 79-63 against them. Richardson's -14 in 19 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/11 vs NOP 128-118 — ORL notes
ORL won 128-118. ORL shot 52% (43 of 82) to NOP's 58%, 11 of 24 from three, and went to the line 35 times to NOP's 15 — 31 points from the stripe to their 12. The glass went 39-26 for them. Bane led with 27 (9 of 18, 1 of 4 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Black added 26, Banchero 23. The hinge was Q4, 37-20: ORL came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 10. ORL trailed 58-59 at the half and won the second half 70-59. Bitadze was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
1/22 vs CHA 97-124 — ORL notes
ORL lost 97-124. ORL shot 42% (33 of 79) to CHA's 54%, 14 of 37 from three. The glass went 31-47 against them. Banchero led with 23 (6 of 12, 2 of 4 from three, 9 of 12 at the line); Bane added 21, Wagner 14. Q4 was theirs, 30-27, the deficit cut from 30 to 27, but the other 3 periods went 97-67 against them. Banchero's -25 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/24 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 114, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; Banchero at 21 and Bane at 19 a game. Without Fra. Wagner (16 straight), Suggs (6 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 113, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Tyson at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Merrill (4 straight), Ball (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-10 a night and Orlando plus-0. Call it Orlando 115, Cleveland 113, Cleveland keeping it close.
1/26 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 25 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Tyson at 21 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Merrill (5 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 113, shooting 44 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Banchero at 23 and Bane at 20 a game. Without Fra. Wagner (17 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-8 a night and Orlando minus-1 and the arc, Cleveland at 34 percent from three to Orlando's 30. Call it Cleveland 116, Orlando 111.
1/28 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 119, shooting 44 percent and 33 from three, 28 free throws a game; Adebayo at 22 and Powell at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Herro (6 straight), Mitchell (3 straight), Ware (4 straight). 2 days' rest. Orlando comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 116, shooting 43 percent and 30 from three, 24 free throws a game; Banchero at 25 and Bane at 22 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Fra. Wagner (18 straight). One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Miami has been plus-6 a night and Orlando minus-3. Call it Miami 119, Orlando 113.
1/30 vs TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 120, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Banchero at 28 and Bane at 22 a game. Without Fra. Wagner (19 straight), Bitadze (2 straight). One day's rest. Toronto comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Quickley at 22 and Ingram at 21 a game. Without Poeltl (19 straight). One day's rest.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the defense, Toronto allowing 111 a night to Orlando's 120 and the glass, where Toronto has been plus-3 a night and Orlando minus-3. Call it Orlando 115, Toronto 114, Toronto keeping it close.
1/15 @ LAL 135-117 — CHA notes
CHA won 135-117. CHA shot 54% (50 of 92) to LAL's 46%, 20 of 43 from three, and got to the line 16 times to LAL's 23. The glass went 50-35 for them. Ball led with 30 (10 of 20, 9 of 17 from three); Miller added 26, Bridges 25. The hinge was Q2, 34-16: CHA came in trailing by 9 and left it ahead by 9, and the lead reached 18. Miller was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
1/17 @ GSW 116-136 — CHA notes
CHA lost 116-136. CHA shot 46% (43 of 94) to GSW's 55%, 16 of 44 from three. CHA turned it over 17 times to GSW's 11, and GSW turned those into 8 steals. Miller led with 28 (11 of 19, 6 of 11 from three); Knueppel added 24, Sexton 17. Q2 was theirs, 29-30, but the other 3 periods went 106-87 against them. Knueppel's -21 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/18 @ DEN 110-87 — CHA notes
CHA won 110-87. CHA shot 49% (44 of 89) to DEN's 41%, 11 of 34 from three. The glass went 52-29 for them. Miller led with 23 (8 of 15, 4 of 9 from three); Kalkbrenner added 17, Knueppel 14. The hinge was Q1, 33-18: from level to 15 ahead, and the lead reached 33. Ball was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
1/21 vs CLE 87-94 — CHA notes
CHA lost 87-94. CHA took 11 more shots (98 to 87), fed by 17 offensive rebounds, but shot 34% to CLE's 39%, 8 of 47 from three, and got to the line 18 times to CLE's 24. CHA turned it over 12 times to CLE's 20. The glass went 47-60 against them. Miller led with 24 (8 of 20, 3 of 11 from three); Knueppel added 21, Bridges 11. Q3 was theirs, 32-20, the deficit cut from 24 to 12, but the other 3 periods went 74-55 against them. Bridges's -29 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/22 @ ORL 124-97 — CHA notes
CHA won 124-97. CHA shot 54% (43 of 79) to ORL's 42%, 17 of 36 from three. The glass went 47-31 for them. Miller led with 20 (8 of 15, 2 of 7 from three); Sexton added 19, Ball 16. The hinge was Q1, 35-20: from level to 15 ahead, and the lead reached 33. Bridges was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
1/24 vs WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Miller at 24 and Knueppel at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Hall (7 straight). One day's rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 117, shooting 44 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; George at 21 and Sarr at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Coulibaly (4 straight), Cooper (25 straight), Whitmore (22 straight). One day's rest.
So: Charlotte wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-9 a night and Washington minus-0 and the defense, Charlotte allowing 106 a night to Washington's 117. Call it Charlotte 119, Washington 109, Charlotte by 10.
1/26 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 106, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Miller at 23 and Knueppel at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Hall (8 straight). One day's rest. Philadelphia comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 114, shooting 48 percent and 33 from three, 27 free throws a game; Embiid at 33 and Maxey at 26 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Drummond (2 straight), McCain (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Charlotte wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-8 a night and Philadelphia minus-4 and the defense, Charlotte allowing 106 a night to Philadelphia's 114. Call it Charlotte 115, Philadelphia 112, Philadelphia keeping it close.
1/28 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 116, shooting 44 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Jackson Jr. at 19 and Landale at 16 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Mashack (5 straight), Pippen Jr. (3 straight). One day's rest. Charlotte comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 97, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; Miller at 24 and Knueppel at 15 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 12 a night. Without Hall (9 straight). One day's rest.
So: Charlotte wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Charlotte allowing 97 a night to Memphis's 116 and the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-12 a night and Memphis plus-4. Call it Charlotte 115, Memphis 111, Memphis keeping it close.
1/29 @ DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 113, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 32 free throws a game; Marshall at 21 and Christie at 20 a game. Without Russell (8 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Charlotte comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 99, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Miller at 24 and Knueppel at 14 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Hall (10 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Charlotte wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Charlotte allowing 99 a night to Dallas's 113 and the line, where Dallas takes 32 free throws a game to Charlotte's 22. Call it Charlotte 114, Dallas 113, Dallas keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
ORLAB A. Black
DB D. Bane
GB G. Bitadze
JC J. Cain
JH J. Howard
JI J. Isaac
JR J. Richardson
MW M. Wagner
NP N. Penda
PB P. Banchero
TJ T. Jones
TD T. da Silva
WC W. Carter Jr.
CHABM B. Miller
CS C. Sexton
DI Diabate
JG J. Green
KK K. Knueppel
LB L. Ball
MB M. Bridges
MD M. Diabaté
PC P. Connaughton
RK R. Kalkbrenner
SJ S. James
TS T. Salaün
ORL/CHA the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Ball back in starting lineup, helps spark fast start as the Hornets beat Magic 124-97
ORLANDO -- — LaMelo Ball returned to Charlotte's starting lineup and had 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Hornets beat the Orlando Magic 124-97 on Thursday night.
Ball, who a night earlier had one of the worst shooting performances of his career when he came off the bench as part of a plan to manage his minutes, went 6 for 12 from the field and 4 for 8 from 3-point distance against Orlando. In a loss to Cleveland on Wednesday, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft finished with two points on 1-of-15 shooting, including 0 of 10 from 3-point range.
Brandon Miller scored 20 points to lead Charlotte's balanced effort. Collin Sexton came off the bench and scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half, Kon Knueppel and Tidjane Salaunadded added 13 apiece, and Miles Bridges , Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner each scored 10.
Paolo Banchero scored 23 points, and Desmond Bane added 21 for the Magic. Moritz Wagner scored 14, Noah Penda added 13 and Jeff Howard 10.
Back in the starting lineup, Ball played a role in the fast start for the Hornets that was missing against Cleveland a night earlier when they trailed by 21 points in the first quarter. Ball scored eight points in seven minutes on 3-for-3 shooting, including 2 for 2 from distance, as Charlotte led 35-20 after a period.
Ball had 11 points in 15 minutes in the first half as Charlotte built a 62-41 lead by the break with 55% (22 for 41) shooting from the floor, and 48% (11 for 23) from beyond the arc. The Hornets outscored Orlando 35-26 in the third and extended their lead to 30 points with a period remaining on the way to their fourth victory in nine games.
The Magic struggled throughout, shooting 33% (13 for 40), including 5 for 19 (26%) from distance in the first half.
Orlando was without guard Jalen Suggs , who missed his eighth straight game due to a right knee injury. Center Moe Wagner was also sidelined due to left knee management and could return to the lineup this weekend.
Up next Hornets: Host the Washington Wizards on Saturday.