The Orlando Magic host the Charlotte Hornets at the Kia Center on Friday night in an Eastern Conference Play-In finale. The winner secures the No. 8 seed and advances to face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, while the loser’s season comes to an end.
Orlando enters the contest as the higher seed but is reeling from a 109–97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Despite a dominant regular season in which they held the No. 8 spot for months, the Magic’s defense struggled to contain Philadelphia’s perimeter speed. They are led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
The Hornets arrive as the hottest team in the Play-In bracket. They are coming off a thrilling 127–126 overtime victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Charlotte has been on a different level since the All-Star break, with LaMelo Ball and the Kon Knueppel leading the charge. The Hornets are looking to clinch the franchise’s first playoff berth in a decade.
Hornets vs. Magic: Live Streaming And Game Info
- Date: Friday, April 17, 2026
- Time: 7:30 PM ET (4:30 PM PT)
- Venue: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
- National Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video
- Live Streaming: NBA League Pass, Fubo (Free Trial available)
Projected Starting Lineups
Charlotte Hornets
- PG: LaMelo Ball
- SG: Kon Knueppel
- SF: Brandon Miller
- PF: Miles Bridges
- C: Moussa Diabate
Orlando Magic
- PG: Jalen Suggs
- SG: Desmond Bane
- SF: Franz Wagner
- PF: Paolo Banchero
- C: Wendell Carter Jr.
Injury Report
Charlotte Hornets
- PJ Hall (C): OUT (Ankle injury)
- Grant Williams (PF): AVAILABLE (Cleared after minor back soreness)
- Josh Green (SG): AVAILABLE (No injury designation)
Orlando Magic
- Jonathan Isaac (PF): QUESTIONABLE (Left knee sprain)
- Jett Howard (SG): QUESTIONABLE (Left ankle sprain)
- Wendell Carter Jr. (C): AVAILABLE (Will play with protective face mask)
- Anthony Black (PG): OUT (Abdominal strain)
Hornets vs. Magic Head to Head
The Charlotte Hornets dominated the 2025–26 regular-season series, leading 3–1. After dropping the initial matchup in October, Charlotte secured three consecutive double-digit victories in December, January, and March. Historically, the Magic lead the all-time regular-season series 67–63. They also lead the all-time playoff series 5-3.
Prediction For Hornets vs. Magic
While the Magic have the home-court advantage and the defensive brilliance, the Hornets are currently incredible from beyond the arc. LaMelo Ball’s ability to push the pace in transition has consistently exploited Orlando’s slower rotations in their last three meetings. Expect a high-intensity battle where Charlotte’s perimeter shooting gets the better of Orlando’s physical interior game, sending the Hornets to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
Score Prediction: Hornets 115 – Magic 109
Where to Watch Hornets vs. Magic For Free?
Fans can watch Hornets vs. Magic on NBA League Pass, Amazon Prime (an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial), or catch it for free here.
Where To Watch Across The Globe
United States
- Date/Time: April 17, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
- Channel: Amazon Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Canada
- Date/Time: April 17, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
- Channel: TSN, NBA League Pass
United Kingdom
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 12:30 AM GMT
- Channel: TNT Sports, NBA League Pass
Australia
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 9:30 AM AEST
- Channel: ESPN, NBA League Pass
Germany
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: DAZN, NBA League Pass
France
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: beIN Sports, NBA League Pass
Spain
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: Movistar+, NBA League Pass
Italy
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: Sky Italia, NBA League Pass
India
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 5:00 AM IST
- Channel: Amazon Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Brazil
- Date/Time: April 17, 2026, 8:30 PM BRT
- Channel: ESPN, Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Mexico
- Date/Time: April 17, 2026, 5:30 PM CST
- Channel: ESPN, Star+, NBA League Pass
Japan
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 8:30 AM JST
- Channel: Rakuten TV, NBA League Pass
Philippines
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 7:30 AM PHT
- Channel: TV5, NBA TV Philippines, NBA League Pass
Singapore
- Date/Time: April 18, 2026, 7:30 AM SGT
- Channel: StarHub, Singtel, NBA League Pass
