Charlotte Hornets

Fearless predictions: Will losing stop as the Hornets return home to face Orlando?

Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) is a crafty low-post scorer who will challenge the Charlotte Hornets’ Dwight Howard and Cody Zeller.
Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) is a crafty low-post scorer who will challenge the Charlotte Hornets’ Dwight Howard and Cody Zeller. AP

Five fearless predictions for Friday’s Charlotte Hornets game against the Orlando Magic:

1. Kemba Walker will be his old self.

Pound-for-pound, Hornets point guard Kemba Walker is incredibly tough and durable. He missed the past two games with a left shoulder contusion. He looked relatively healed and highly motivated at practice Sunday.

2. Dwight Howard won’t be close to nine turnovers Monday

Howard matched a Hornets record with nine giveaways against the Miami Heat. That’s more than double his average for the season (3.8 per game, seventh in the NBA).

3. Nik Vucevic will test Howard and Cody Zeller

The Magic center had 34 points and 12 rebounds against the New York Knicks Sunday.

4. Rested legs

No excuse if the Hornets don’t have an energy advantage. They haven’t played since Friday, while the Magic played Sunday, then flew from New York.

5. Prediction

The Hornets have won the past eight against the Magic, going back to December of 2015. Make it nine. Hornets 110, Magic 103.

Magic at Hornets

Where:

Spectrum Center

When:

Monday, 7 p.m.

TV/Radio:

Fox Sports Southeast /WFNZ 610-AM

This story was originally published December 3, 2017 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Fearless predictions: Will losing stop as the Hornets return home to face Orlando?."

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