The Orlando Magic will try to keep battling without a few of their top playmakers, as they square off with the Charlotte Bobcats tonight in the finale of a quick two-game road trip at Time Warner Cable Arena.
Orlando has been without newcomer Vince Carter the last three games because of a sprained ankle and the veteran is averaging 15.3 points per game since coming over from New Jersey in the offseason. Carter is questionable for Tuesday's tilt in Charlotte, while Ryan Anderson is expected to miss the game. Anderson did not play in Orlando's most recent loss, a 102-74 setback at Oklahoma City on Sunday, due to an ankle problem. He is expected to miss this evening's contest and is averaging 15.0 ppg.
Dwight Howard finished with 20 points and seven boards against the Thunder, but the Magic shot just 36.8 percent overall and just 3-for-16 (18.8 percent) from three-point range. Mickael Pietrus scored 15 off the bench for Orlando, which entered the game on a two-game winning streak.
After visiting the Bobcats, the Magic will kick off a four-game homestand versus LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Orlando defeated Cleveland in six games in last year's Eastern Conference Finals and will also host New Jersey, Charlotte and Oklahoma City on the upcoming residency.
The Bobcats had their two-game winning streak halted with Saturday's 93-90 loss against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
Boris Diaw led Larry Brown's squad with a season-high 20 points and added seven boards and five assists in defeat. Raymond Felton posted 14 points and a game-high 10 assists, while Tyson Chandler recorded 13 points and seven rebounds for the Bobcats.
"We had too many empty possessions, which has been a problem for us all year," Brown said after the game.
Charlotte will try to keep its unbeaten home record (3-0) intact tonight.
Orlando swept the four-game season series with the Bobcats a year ago and has won seven of the last eight matchups between the teams. The Magic have won two in a row and three of four trips to Charlotte.
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