Recap: Charlotte vs. Orlando
Sports Network | November 16, 2008
Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Hedo Turkoglu scored a game-high 20 points, as the Orlando Magic wrapped up a three-game road trip with a 90-85 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Rashard Lewis added 17 points and six rebounds for the Magic, who went 3-0 on the trip and have won seven of eight overall. Mickael Pietrus finished with 18 points, while Dwight Howard ended with just four points and seven rebounds before fouling out.
Keith Bogans had just seven points, but made several key shots and free throws at the end of the fourth quarter to boost Orlando to the win.
Gerald Wallace scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Bobcats, who have lost three of four. Raymond Felton and Adam Morrison each scored 14 points, as no other Charlotte player ended in double figures.
"For us to get (Howard) out of the game the way we did, and not come out with a win, it's definitely tough," Felton said. "It's a bad loss for us."
In a close game, the Magic held a slim lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but got some separation with a burst of five points. A Pietrus layup and free throw, then a pair of Howard foul shots gave the Magic a 75-69 edge.
The teams continued to trade baskets, and Charlotte couldn't completely close the gap. After the Bobcats got within five on a D.J. Augustin layup, Bogans drilled a three with 1:45 left for an 88-80 Magic advantage.
Felton was fouled on the Bobcats' next possession but made only one. Bogans then went to the line and made both with 1:16 on the clock, for a nine-point lead, and the Magic held on from there.
"I thought we played with a very, very low energy level," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But we hung in and did some good things in the second half to get the win."
Charlotte led 21-19 after a back-and-forth first quarter, and was up 43-38 at halftime.
The Bobcats' five-point lead lasted several minutes into the third quarter, but a pair of Jameer Nelson layups brought the Magic back within one. The teams traded several baskets before Orlando rattled off seven points. A Pietrus layup, Turkoglu free throws and Pietrus triple put the Magic ahead 54-51 with just under six minutes remaining. Orlando held the lead, at 65-61, going into the fourth.
Nelson had 15 points for Orlando...Emeka Okafor had nine boards and eight points for Charlotte. Augustin also had eight points...The Bobcats made just 3-of-12 three-point attempts while the Magic made only 7-of-26.
