Magic send Hornets back to their nest in dominant win to claim East's No. 8 seed

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/banchero-paolo/06ii067b/"]Paolo Banchero[/a] top-scored with 25 points to set up a daunting first-round playoff series for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Magic[/a] against the Eastern Conference top-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit Pistons[/a].[/p][p]It was Orlando's last chance to qualify for the postseason via the play-in tournament, having failed at their first attempt against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a] on Wednesday.[/p][embed guid="9d9b634d-fca5-487e-bb62-2d7c9171167e" url="https://x.com/OrlandoMagic/status/2045329339705704888?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]A physical, tough Magic outfit outmuscled the youthful [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Hornets[/a] from the tip-off of the win-or-go-home game in front of a sell-out 19,000 home crowd at Orlando's Kia Center.[/p][p]Banchero bulldozed Charlotte's defense, scoring 12 in the first quarter alone.[/p][p]Having never trailed by more than a single point, Orlando soon stretched comfortably clear, establishing a giant 35-point lead shortly before half-time.[/p][embed guid="5e93e6f8-39f9-410e-8141-2f07ee31a882" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2045309017556123719?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Recovering from a sluggish start, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ball-lamelo/fskMOC1n/"]LaMelo Bell[/a] - the hero of the Hornets' first play-in game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami[/a] on Tuesday - exploded after the break.[/p][p]He poured in 21 points in the third quarter alone as he tried to single-handedly extend Charlotte's season.[/p][p]But Orlando's lead never dipped below 20 points, as the Magic eased to a win against a Charlotte side that had finished the regular season in strong form.[/p][p]Victory ensured the Magic have reached the playoffs for the third straight season, while the Hornets' decade-long wait goes on.[/p][p]The NBA playoffs begin Saturday.[/p][embed guid="9c7aa39b-8b6b-4641-bb76-159622c90725" url="https://x.com/OrlandoMagic/status/2045319623076135081?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]