ORLANDO, Fla. -- — LaMelo Ball had 22 points and seven rebounds, and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Orlando Magic 120-105 on Friday night after losing rookie forward Kon Knueppel to a right ankle injury in the first half.

Miles Bridges had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets and Moussa Diabate added 10 points and 13 rebounds. Charlotte shot 19 for 39 (48.7%) from 3-point range and led by 24 points in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Black led Orlando with 24 points. Desmond Bane added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Wendell Carter Jr. had 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Hornets had a 57-48 lead in the final seconds of the first half when Knueppel, who ranks second among NBA rookies in scoring and 3-point shooting, went down with the injury. He had scored 16 points, all in the first quarter, while making all four of his 3-point shots. Hornets coach Charles Lee said X-rays on Knueppel's ankle were negative and he would be evaluated again when the team returns to Charlotte.

Three 3-pointers by Collin Sexton late in the third quarter helped the Hornets stretch a 16-point lead to 24.

Led by Diabate, Bridges and Tidjane Salaun, the Hornets had a 53-42 rebound edge in winning for the fourth time in six games.

The Magic, who have lost four of six after winning in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, played without injured starters Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs,

Up next

Hornets: Play at Milwaukee on Monday night.

Magic: Play at home against Denver on Saturday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Moussa Diabate vs. Wendell Carter Jr. (Tyus Jones gains possession)	0	0
11:44	Tyus Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Desmond Bane assists)	3	0
11:30	Brandon Miller makes dunk (Miles Bridges assists)	3	2
11:13	Miles Bridges blocks Paolo Banchero 's 2-foot dunk	3	2
11:09	Moussa Diabate defensive rebound	3	2
11:04	Kon Knueppel makes 6-foot two point shot	3	4
10:48	Desmond Bane misses 27-foot three point jumper	3	4
10:45	LaMelo Ball defensive rebound	3	4
10:37	Moussa Diabate makes 1-foot dunk (Kon Knueppel assists)	3	6
10:24	Desmond Bane makes driving layup (Tyus Jones assists)	5	6
10:08	LaMelo Ball misses 27-foot three point jumper	5	6
10:04	Paolo Banchero defensive rebound	5	6
9:56	Desmond Bane offensive foul	5	6
9:56	Desmond Bane offensive foul turnover	5	6
9:42	LaMelo Ball misses driving floating jump shot	5	6
9:38	Kon Knueppel offensive rebound	5	6
9:36	Kon Knueppel makes 26-foot three point jumper	5	9
9:23	Wendell Carter Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Anthony Black assists)	8	9
9:11	LaMelo Ball misses driving floating jump shot	8	9
9:11	Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound	8	9
9:04	Anthony Black makes 25-foot running jump shot (Paolo Banchero assists)	11	9
8:50	Brandon Miller bad pass turnover (Paolo Banchero steals)	11	9
8:42	Moussa Diabate shooting foul	11	9
8:42	Paolo Banchero makes free throw 1 of 2	12	9
8:42	Paolo Banchero makes free throw 2 of 2	13	9
8:22	Miles Bridges makes 7-foot two point shot	13	11
8:03	Desmond Bane makes driving layup	15	11
7:51	LaMelo Ball makes 25-foot three point jumper (Miles Bridges assists)	15	14
7:32	Anthony Black misses two point shot	15	14
7:29	Miles Bridges defensive rebound	15	14
7:26	Kon Knueppel makes 24-foot running pullup jump shot (Miles Bridges assists)	15	17
6:59	Paolo Banchero misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	17
6:56	Brandon Miller defensive rebound	15	17
6:51	Brandon Miller misses running layup	15	17
6:46	Moussa Diabate offensive rebound	15	17
6:46	Moussa Diabate makes tip shot	15	19
6:43	Brandon Miller blocks Desmond Bane 's 4-foot driving layup	15	19
6:40	Kon Knueppel defensive rebound	15	19
6:34	LaMelo Ball misses 28-foot three point jumper	15	19
6:33	Hornets offensive team rebound	15	19
6:33	Wendell Carter Jr. loose ball foul	15	19
6:33	Magic Full timeout	15	19
6:33	Jonathan Isaac enters the game for Desmond Bane	15	19
6:33	Noah Penda enters the game for Wendell Carter Jr.	15	19
6:33	Sion James enters the game for Brandon Miller	15	19
6:25	Paolo Banchero blocks Sion James 's 25-foot three point jumper	15	19
6:20	Tyus Jones defensive rebound	15	19
6:15	Anthony Black makes 23-foot three point jumper (Tyus Jones assists)	18	19
6:00	Moussa Diabate makes 2-foot dunk (LaMelo Ball assists)	18	21
5:41	Anthony Black makes 25-foot three pointer	21	21
5:24	Kon Knueppel makes 25-foot three pointer (Sion James assists)	21	24
5:10	Anthony Black misses driving floating jump shot	21	24
5:08	Moussa Diabate defensive rebound	21	24
5:05	LaMelo Ball lost ball turnover (Noah Penda steals)	21	24
5:00	Anthony Black misses 22-foot running jump shot	21	24
4:57	LaMelo Ball defensive rebound	21	24
4:52	Kon Knueppel makes 26-foot three point jumper (LaMelo Ball assists)	21	27
4:29	Noah Penda misses 24-foot three point jumper	21	27
4:26	Miles Bridges defensive rebound	21	27
4:18	LaMelo Ball makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot	21	29
4:18	Magic Full timeout	21	29
4:18	Jase Richardson enters the game for Anthony Black	21	29
4:18	Desmond Bane enters the game for Tyus Jones	21	29
4:18	Tristan da Silva enters the game for Paolo Banchero	21	29
4:18	Tre Mann enters the game for LaMelo Ball	21	29
4:18	Tidjane Salaun enters the game for Moussa Diabate	21	29
3:57	Kon Knueppel personal foul	21	29
3:50	Tristan da Silva makes 6-foot two point shot	23	29
3:34	Tidjane Salaun makes two point shot (Tre Mann assists)	23	31
3:27	Desmond Bane out of bounds lost ball turnover	23	31
3:12	Desmond Bane shooting foul	23	31
3:12	Kon Knueppel makes free throw 1 of 2	23	32
3:12	Kon Knueppel makes free throw 2 of 2	23	33
2:58	Jonathan Isaac misses 13-foot jumper	23	33
2:55	Tre Mann defensive rebound	23	33
2:43	Kon Knueppel misses driving layup	23	33
2:40	Noah Penda defensive rebound	23	33
2:33	Desmond Bane makes 4-foot driving floating jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)	25	33
2:22	Miles Bridges makes 7-foot two point shot	25	35
2:12	Desmond Bane out of bounds bad pass turnover	25	35
2:12	Josh Green enters the game for Sion James	25	35
2:12	Brandon Miller enters the game for Kon Knueppel	25	35
1:54	Brandon Miller misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	25	35
1:52	Desmond Bane defensive rebound	25	35
1:43	Desmond Bane misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	25	35
1:41	Jonathan Isaac offensive rebound	25	35
1:39	Jonathan Isaac misses two point shot	25	35
1:39	Tre Mann defensive rebound	25	35
1:28	Josh Green makes 23-foot three point jumper (Miles Bridges assists)	25	38
1:14	Tidjane Salaun blocks Noah Penda 's 4-foot driving layup	25	38
1:11	Tidjane Salaun defensive rebound	25	38
1:10	Josh Green misses 26-foot running jump shot	25	38
1:07	Desmond Bane defensive rebound	25	38
50.4	Noah Penda misses 22-foot three point jumper	25	38
46.9	Miles Bridges defensive rebound	25	38
35.6	Jase Richardson personal foul	25	38
35.6	Wendell Carter Jr. enters the game for Jonathan Isaac	25	38
35.6	Moussa Diabate enters the game for Miles Bridges	25	38
25.4	Tre Mann misses 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	25	38
21.2	Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound	25	38
4.6	Tristan da Silva makes 12-foot two point shot	27	38
4.6	Brandon Miller shooting foul	27	38
4.6	Anthony Black enters the game for Desmond Bane	27	38
4.6	Jamal Cain enters the game for Jase Richardson	27	38
4.6	PJ Hall enters the game for Josh Green	27	38
4.6	Tristan da Silva makes free throw 1 of 1	28	38
0.2	Brandon Miller misses heave jump shot	28	38
0.2	Hornets offensive team rebound	28	38
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	28	38

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Kia Center

Orlando, FL

Date & Time

12:00 AM, December 27, 2025

Coverage

FanDuel SN FL, FanDuel SN SE, NBA League Pass

Attendance

19,397

Referees

CJ Washington, Kevin Scott, Ashley Moyer-Gleich

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Orlando	34	28	.548	W3
Miami	35	29	.547	W4
Atlanta	32	31	.508	W5
Charlotte	32	32	.500	L1
Washington	16	46	.258	L7

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Hornets beat Magic 120-105 after rookie Kon Knueppel injures ankle in first half

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