Hornets-Magic Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Dec 25 2012 11:54AM

Ryan Anderson had the best season of his career for the Orlando Magic in 2011-12, pricing himself out of a new contract with the team in the process.

The New Orleans Hornets gave him the dollars he sought, but he isn't enjoying much success at the moment.

Anderson will look to help New Orleans avoid matching a franchise-record 12-game losing streak in his return to Orlando on Wednesday night.

Anderson was named the NBA's Most Improved Player after averaging career highs of 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds while hitting a league-high 166 3-pointers for the Magic last season. He was a restricted free agent during the offseason, and New Orleans signed him to a four-year, $36 million offer sheet.

Orlando decided not to match and completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Hornets, acquiring big man Gustavo Ayon.

Anderson is scoring a team-high 17.8 points per game, but Western Conference-worst New Orleans (5-22) has struggled. It has lost 11 straight after blowing a 22-point lead in Saturday's 81-75 home loss to Indiana, getting outscored 24-7 in the third quarter.

Anderson, who has come off the bench in the last four games, shot 2 of 9 for six points. He has totaled 25 in his last three contests on 9-of-37 (24.3 percent) shooting.

"I think it's a bit of teams trying to take him out (of his game) and we don't have enough experience to play off of that," coach Monty Williams said.

Robin Lopez scored a season-high 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had a career high-tying six blocks Saturday for the Hornets, who are nonetheless on the verge of matching their franchise-worst losing streak set from Jan. 19-Feb. 14, 1990.

"We didn't really understand the moment," Williams said. "I thought we played not to lose instead of playing to win. We have to own it and move forward, but it's a tough one to swallow."

Anthony Davis shot 5 of 14 from the field and scored 10 points, while fellow rookie Austin Rivers finished 3 of 12 with seven points.

"We came out flat in the second half, and to sum it all up you have to come out and play a full 48 minutes, not just one half," Rivers said. "That's what we need to learn, is to fight for the whole game."

The Magic (12-15) are coming off a 97-93 home loss to Utah on Sunday, as Ayon missed two free throws that could've tied the game in the closing seconds. Ayon, who finished with nine points and 12 rebounds, started in place of the injured Glen Davis, who missed his second straight game and is out indefinitely with a left shoulder sprain.

Arron Afflalo scored 20 points while Nikola Vucevic added 16 and 16 rebounds for Orlando, which tied its season worst with 20 turnovers.

"Turnovers are always going to hurt," Vucevic said. "You're missing an offensive chance to score. We had a lot of them."

The Magic, who committed 18 turnovers in Friday's 93-90 loss at Toronto, have shot 50.0 percent in back-to-back games but have been doomed by their inability to take care of the ball.

"I think it's pretty simple," coach Jacque Vaughn said. "You outrebound a team, you shoot 50 percent from the field, make nine 3s, have 20 turnovers for 22 points. The game is really that simple."

Anderson sat out with a calf injury for Orlando as New Orleans won the most recent meeting 93-67 on Jan. 27, marking the Hornets' fourth straight victory in the series.

Hornets end 11-game losing skid, 97-94 over Magic

By KYLE HIGHTOWER
Posted Dec 26 2012 10:55PM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The New Orleans Hornets were hoping that the way Robin Lopez has been playing recently would eventually translate into a much needed victory.

It took another nail-nibbling finish, but their patience finally paid off.

Lopez had a season-high 29 points and Greivis Vasquez scored a season-best 27 as the Hornets snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 97-94 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.

The victory was the Hornets' first since Dec. 3 and comes with guard Eric Gordon getting closer to playing for the first time this season coming off knee surgery.

"That comes from my teammates. They look for me. They're giving me looks," Lopez said of his big night. "We've been scrapping, but it's just one game. We want to string together a few."

Jameer Nelson had a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead Orlando and Nik Vucevic added 19 points.

The Magic shot above 60 percent in the first half, but fell to 45 percent for the game (36 for 79). They were able to stay in game thanks to 11 3-pointers.

Orlando has lost three straight games since starting forward Glen Davis was sidelined with a sprained left shoulder.

His absence was exploited all night by a Hornets' offense that, led by Lopez, outscored Orlando 44-38 in the paint. Rookie Anthony Davis contributed to the Magic's misery underneath with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Hornets forward Ryan Anderson, traded by Orlando in the offseason, didn't shoot well (4 for 11) but finished with 15 points.

It marked the first time in three games the Hornets were able to close out a close game after losing their previous two by six and five points, respectively.

"It's huge for us," Anderson said. "Not only is it nice to beat the team that traded me, but it's great for this team. It's great for the morale. We've been battling to get a win. We've been fighting to the end. And this was a big step."

Orlando didn't score a field goal in the final 6:08 of the game, but still had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.

New Orleans opened a 10-point lead in the third quarter, before the Magic reduced it to just a basket entering the final period.

Orlando took its first lead since late in the first half, 92-91, on two free throws by Vucevic with 3:44 to play.

Two free throws by Lopez on the other end quickly put the Hornets back up a point before J.J. Redick's trip to the line nudged the Magic in front 94-93.

A floating jumper by Vasquez pushed New Orleans into the lead again, forcing the Magic to call a timeout with 50.7 seconds left.

Arron Afflalo got a lane to the basket, but his layup was blocked by Lopez.

Vasquez had his shot blocked by E'Twaun Moore on the Hornets' ensuing possession, but stepped on the baseline on his rebound attempt with only 25 seconds left.

Vasquez was fouled and made two free throws to make it 97-94.

Vucevic wound up in the corner and missed a 3-pointer off the side of the rim and Afflalo was unable to get up another attempt as the horn sounded.

"It was playing against set defense compared to getting in transition," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. "They were long, blocked some shots of ours and were great at closing out and contesting shots, so I think that was the difference."

Though defense tightened late, free-flowing offense was on display on both sides in the first half.

The Magic led 53-49 at the break, despite Lopez scoring 14 of the Hornets' first 20 points.

Lopez was 8 of 9 from the field and scored 19 points in the first half.

Orlando never trailed by more seven, though, keeping pace by connecting of seven 3-pointers in the half. The Magic's offense also got a big lift from Vucevic, who went right at the Hornet's interior defense, scoring 14 points.

But he also acknowledged that Davis' absence is a problem right now, particularly defensively.

"We miss him a lot - both ends of the court," Vucevic said. "People think it's probably just on the offensive end because he's one of our leading scorers. But he played well on both ends of the court."

Hornets coach Monty Williams said he hopes his team continues to keep an unsatisfied attitude.

"My goal is not to win one game and then let up," Williams said. "My mindset is always to win every game we play. I don't care who it is in our lineup, young or whoever the guy is, we're going to try to win games. .. I'll enjoy this for about 15 more minutes and then I'll start thinking about the next game."

Notes: Nelson's double-double was his fourth of the season. ... Williams said Gordon, who hasn't played yet this season, could be ready to play Saturday when New Orleans hosts Charlotte. He said Gordon is taking time to get back into playing shape. "We've got to make sure he's at a good pace before he comes back," Williams said. ... Magic F Hedo Turkoglu (broken hand) is making progress toward returning as well. Vaughn said they, too, are being cautious about getting him ready for game action following the Nov. 2 injury. "He needs some more practices," Vaughn said. "He's got to get hit on that hand a few times."... Wednesday was the first game in Orlando for Hornets G Austin Rivers as an NBA player. The rookie played high school basketball at nearby Winter Park High School.

---

Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower.

Notebook: Hornets 97, Magic 94

Dick Scanlon, for NBA.com
Posted Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:19 PM - Updated Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:19 PM

THE FACTS: Robin Lopez scored 29 points and Greivis Vasquez added a career-high 27 to help the New Orleans Hornets break an 11-game losing streak at the expense of the Orlando Magic, 97-94.

Lopez scored 14 of the Hornets' first 20 points as New Orleans won its first road game since Nov. 26. Lopez also had three of the Hornets' six blocks in the fourth quarter, including a block from behind while Arron Afflalo was driving for a basket that could have put the Magic ahead with 40 seconds left.

Jameer Nelson had 28 points and 10 assists for the Magic, who shot 5-for-24 in the final quarter and did not have a field goal in the final six minutes.

QUOTABLE: "It is huge for us. Not only is it nice to beat the team that traded me, but it is great for this team and the morale . . . this was a very big step to come through and make a few stops at the end to get a win."
-- Hornets forward Ryan Anderson

THE STAT: It had been 30 days since the Hornets' last road victory. That came in Los Angeles against the Clippers, who have not lost a game since.

TURNING POINT: J.J. Redick missed an easy back-door layup during a 16-3 New Orleans run that put the Hornets in command in the third quarter.

HOT: Lopez shot for 9-for-10, missing only a 10-foot hook shot in the final minute of the first half.

NOT: With the Hornets protecting a one-point lead and less than two minutes left, rookie Austin Rivers shot an air ball from the corner. Rivers' first-half line in 9 minutes, 22 seconds: all zeroes.

GOOD MOVE: The Hornets used 6-foot-10 Anthony Davis to trap Nelson near mid-court in the middle of the fourth quarter. It produced a turnover which Vasquez converted into a layup.

BAD MOVE: The Magic have not found an answer for the absence of power forward Glen Davis, who has missed three games -- all losses -- with a shoulder injury.

QUOTABLE: "It would be nice to have him, but he's not going to be around for a while . . . so we have to compensate."
-- Arron Afflalo

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: It was the second straight 20-plus scoring game for Lopez, who averages 12.3 points.

QUOTABLE II: "I wouldn't want to get happy on the farm and try to tell you exactly what it is, but I do know he works at it every night. Obviously guys have confidence in him in certain matchups, and now we've got to get to the gym tomorrow and talk about what to do when teams double-team him."
-- Hornets coach Monty Williams on Lopez

ROOKIE WATCH: Davis had 12 points, 11 rebounds and two fourth-quarter blocks . . . Rivers scored four points in 28 minutes . . . Magic rookies Maurice Harkless and Andrew Nicholson combined for two points, although Harkless had seven rebounds.

NOTABLE: The Hornets have beaten the Magic five straight times . . . Magic center Nikola Vukovic had his streak of double-digit rebound games ended at six. He had nine rebounds . . . Eric Gordon, shelved to this point by a sore right knee, might be playing for the Hornets by Saturday.

UP NEXT: For the Hornets: Friday vs. Toronto, Saturday @ Charlotte, Tuesday vs. Atlanta. For the Magic: Friday @ Washington, Saturday vs. Toronto, Monday vs. Miami.

• Hornets: Gordon, Smith
• Magic: Harrington, Turkoglu

• Hornets: --
• Magic: --

• Lead Changes: 14
• Times Tied: 14

• Arena: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
• Officials: #28 Zach Zarba, #70 Brent Barnaky, #31 Scott Wall
• Attendance: 18846
• Duration: 2:08