Orlando is 50-47 all-time vs. Charlotte (29-20 at home, 21-27 on the road), including 0-4 last season. Orlando is 5-3 vs. Charlotte all-time during the playoffs (2002 First Round, 1-3; 2010 First Round, 4-0). The Magic have lost the last seven meetings with the Hornets (last win: Dec. 16, 2015 @ Orlando, 113-98) and ten of the last 13 overall. Orlando has lost eight of the last ten meetings at home and six of the last ten trips to Charlotte. D.J. Augustin was originally drafted in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft by Charlotte and played in 282 games during his first four NBA seasons with Charlotte (2008-12). Bismack Biyombo appeared in 284 during his first four NBA seasons with Charlotte (2011-15).
``People aren’t going to take us lightly and if they do, we’re going to blow them out,’’ boasted Gordon. ``This is just a good group with a good vibe and good energy. Everybody is playing together so well and it looks like we’re having fun, huh?’’
``People can keep saying they were just missing shots, but just like I said (after games against Cleveland and San Antonio), we’re playing really, really good defense,’’ Biyombo said with conviction. ``I think that as we continue to beat all of these big teams, who knows what will happen. We can’t get ahead of ourselves and we can’t get too high when we win or too low when we lose. We’ve just got to keep the same pace and see what’s coming. But I’m really excited for everybody here. The way we’re playing and covering for each other, it’s special.’’
``Nahhh, man, I don’t want to hear about that yet,’’ Fournier said with a playful laugh. ``I’ve been here for four years and with Scott (Skiles) we had an amazing December and then we were the worst team in the NBA in January. So I don’t want to hear any of that (arrival talk) right now. It’s early and we still have a long way to go, so please no (dreaming about the future) until we’ve done something.’’
“We have to keep playing the way we’ve been playing so far,” Vucevic said. “We can’t get happy. We can’t get satisfied. We have to stay hungry no matter what happens, because we’re not in a position to relax. We never will be.”
Popovich unwittingly lifted Ross' shooting slump curse when he put him in a headlock thinking he was Simmons...
THIS DATE IN MAGIC HISTORY – OCTOBER 29…
October 29, 2003 – The Magic began their 15th anniversary season in New York, facing a 10-point deficit with less than four
minutes remaining in regulation. In the season opener for both teams, Orlando fought back and defeated the Knicks in overtime,
85-83. Tracy McGrady led the Magic at Madison Square Garden with 26 points, six assists and three blocked shots.
October 29, 2002 – The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers were the first two teams to hit the hardwood to tip off the 2002-
03 NBA season. In front of 15,225 fans at the TD Waterhouse Centre, Grant Hill made a strong return to the lineup after
undergoing three ankle surgeries in a 20-month period with 18 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, as Orlando won, 95-88.
Hill combined with Tracy McGrady for 49 points, with McGrady leading all scorers with 31. McGrady also set a new Magic
opening-night record with four blocks.
