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Thursday, Mar. 2 7:30pm ET
Charlotte 96, Orlando 104 | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) _ Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers couldn't help but compliment Chucky Atkins for his performance against the Charlotte Hornets. Atkins scored 14 points, including 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range, in the Magic's 104-96 victory over the Hornets on Thursday night. "Chucky Atkins was huge _ huge," Rivers said. "He came in and controlled the show. He's so quick. One of the things he did, and I'd love to credit myself, was he decided to dribble through the trap. "He said `I'm going to get the ball and go full speed and there's nothing you can do about it.' I wish I was smart enough to have thought of that." Ron Mercer had a team-high 19 points for the Magic, but it was the reserves who helped pick up the slack for starters Darrell Armstrong and John Amaechi, who were a combined 5-of-20. Atkins teamed with bench players Pat Garrity (13 points), Monty Williams (10) and Corey Maggette (nine) to shoot 20-of-32. Orlando's reserves outscored Charlotte's 51-25. "We've played well for the most part all year long," Atkins said of Orlando's reserves. "Right now, our confidence is very high. As long as we continue to play hard and play together we have a good chance of winning, even if the first team doesn't come out and play as well." The Magic never trailed in the second half and Charlotte could get no closer than five, when it trailed 99-94 with 2:21 remaining. But Orlando finished on a 5-2 run and held off David Wesley, who made 6-of-6 field goals in the final quarter to finish with 17 points. Elden Campbell added 10 points in the fourth for a game-high 22. Eddie Jones also had 17 for Charlotte, which has lost six of their last nine. "We have to come with all cylinders and we were just not there tonight, (allowing) too many layups, too many second shots," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "When we were making our run, they always seemed to come up with a big 3 or stop our run." Charlotte's Anthony Mason was more harsh when he assessed the team's effort. "This is just my opinion, but I think we need to take the game more seriously," Mason said. "We will win a game and then we relax. You have to win a game and stay hungry. That is how a good team becomes great." Atkins scored nine of Orlando's first 11 points to begin the fourth quarter, which give the Magic their biggest lead _ 89-76. The Magic led by as many as 11 early in the third, but Charlotte closed it to 68-66 at the 3:20 mark. But Orlando finished the quarter on a 10-4 run to take a 78-70 lead as Mercer had nine points. The Hornets led 42-33 with with 7:55 remaining before halftime, but the Magic tied it 46-46 on a layup by Maggette and went ahead at halftime 53-50. The Magic shot 55 percent and were led by Mercer's 10 points. Notes: Charlotte's Derrick Coleman (sprained right ankle) missed his second consecutive game. ... Orlando is 19-19 all time against Charlotte and has won 13 of the last 20 meetings. ... Mercer had a season-high six rebounds. ... Garrity has made nine of 16 3-pointers in the last three games. ... All 10 Magic players who saw action scored at least five points. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Charlotte Clubhouse Orlando Clubhouse RECAPS Philadelphia 87 Washington 84
Orlando 104 AUDIO/VIDEO   Ron Mercer picks Eddie Jones' pocket and goes in for the layup.avi: 523 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1   | |||||