By Matthew Gardner | OrlandoMagic.com

Despite giving up a 20-point lead, the Orlando Magic managed to hold off a hungry New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets squad on Wednesday night, 86-83. The Magic had a 20-point lead in the first quarter before the Hornets shot back in the second quarter to get back in the game. Grant Hill led Orlando with 21 points, while Dwight Howard added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Orlando is back in action at home on Friday when they welcome Golden State to town.

The Magic took advantage of a terrible shooting start for the Hornets in the first quarter. The Hornets missed their first 14 shots as Orlando darted out to a 20 point lead. The Hornets closed within 13 at the end of the quarter, but they were only warming up. The visiting team smothered the Magic in the second period and their hot shooting allowed them to tie the game going into the second half at 41.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City held a four point advantage entering the fourth quarter, but the Magic were able to overcome the deficit thanks to the outside shooting of Travis Diener and some solid defense all around.

Diener scored 13 points from the bench, including three three-pointers, while Trevor Ariza added 14 points.

Despite playing without the likes of Peja Stojakovic, David West and Bobby Jackson, the Hornets held strong - led by the 19-point, 10-assist effort from standout point guard Chris Paul. Rasual Butler added 15 and Desmond Mason had 14 points. They also received a big boost from the bench as Jannero Pargo scored 16 points, while Marc Jackson added 11.

9:41PM: Magic can't get the ball in bounds and they're forced to call a timeout instead of turning over the ball. Look for the team to bleed some time off the clock here and look for a high percentage basket. Arroyo, Diener, Garrity, Howard and Hill on the floor. The Hornets have a foul to burn and they use it. Magic take the ball out of bounds again. They inbounds to Arroyo and he turns over the ball while heading for the basket. One final attempt for the Hornets and Butler's shot falls short. Magic win!! Final score - 86-83.

9:36PM: Dwight is called for traveling and the Hornets get the ball, but Pargo steps out of bounds and Orlando takes over possession with 1:16 left in the game and a four point lead. Big possession coming up and Hill misses a turnaround jumper. At the other end, Paul is fouled going to the bucket and goes to the line where he is already 8-of-9 in the game. He makes the first, but misses the second as the Magic now have a three point lead and the ball with 35.4 remaining.

9:34PM: Chandler picks up foul No. 5 on the floor, but the Magic miss out on an opportunity as Diener's three attempt falls short. At the other end, Butler is fouled by Hill just inside the three point line and goes to the line with 1:48 on the clock. His first clanks off the rim and his second goes in as it's now a four point game.

9:32PM: Grant's jumper puts the lead back to seven, but Paul is fouled at the other end and goes to the charity stripe with 2:33 left. He hits both to make it a five point game once again.

9:28PM: Paul hits a pair of free throws and Butler makes a layup and is fouled by Milicic. He misses the free throw and the Magic lead with five with 3:46 remaining.

9:26PM: Diener smacks down his third three of the night as the Orlando lead moves to nine with 4:46 left. The defense is stifling the Hornets, who also have appears a bit weary in the fourth quarter.

9:22PM: Orlando has come alive! Grant's shot just inside the top of the key giving the Magic a six point lead - their largest of the second half - with 5:41 left. The teams tough defensive effort against the Hornets has paid off in the last few minutes as NO/OKC is struggling to find open shots.

9:20PM: Diener hits a three, but Paul finds his way to the basket to make it a one point game. Chris Paul is called for defensive three seconds and Diener makes the free throw. Magic take the ball out of bounds and Magic get a bucket from Keyon Dooling - his first points of the night. The Orlando lead is now four.

9:18PM: Magic regain the lead as Darko's layup followed by one by Diener give Orlando a 73-72 advantage. The Magic have one of their better defensive squads on the floor right now with Outlaw, Milicic, Dooling, Ariza and Diener. Magic lead 73-72, but Jackson was fouled by Outlaw and is at the line. He makes the first to tie the game, but misses the second.

9:10PM: Big offensive rebound by Dwight ends with a Shaq-sized dunk by the Magic big man as Orlando pulls within one, 68-67. That got the crowd back into the game, but can the Magic hold onto the momentum? Dwight now has 14 points and 12 rebounds.

9:07PM: Fourth quarter time and Magic need a boost here to get past an inspired Hornets squad that's looking for a road win.

9:02PM: Final minute of the quarter and the Magic need a basket and Ariza steps up. But Marc Jackson hits an outside jumper for the Hornets and that's followed by a Darko Milicic turnover at the other end. The Hornets get on a fastbreak and Paul is fouled by Diener as he drives to the basket. He hits both and the Hornets will go into the fourth quarter with a 68-64 lead.

8:59PM: Dwight Howard takes a pass from Trevor Ariza and puts it in, drawing the foul in the process to tie the game. He hits the free throw and Orlando's got a one-point lead with 2:00 remaining. Howard follows that up with a big block. The Hornets try to regroup but can't get a shot off as the shot-clock expires. However, the Magic are unable to capitalize on the NO/OKC turnover as they are called for an offensive three seconds penalty. Chris Paul hits a shot at the other end. Hornets 63, Magic 62.

8:52PM: Butler hits yet another three (four in the game - 12 points), but Diener hits one at the other end. But what a spectacular dunk by little Chris Paul over Dwight Howard. You can expect to see that one on the highlight reel. Great play by the second year point guard and reigning Rookie of the Year. Hornets lead, 59-57.

8:50PM: Another three from Butler has given NO/OKC a one point lead. Grant Hill is then fouled and goes to the line where he hits both free throws and Orlando now holds the slim 54-53 lead.

8:46PM: Not much scoring in the first few minutes of the third quarter, but the score has stayed close with the Hornets currently leading by two, 50-48. Well, that was until Arroyo's jumper tied things up once again. Carlos now has eight points after being shutout on Saturday night against Cleveland. The Magic follow that up with a fastbreak that goes something like - 30-1-33. Arroyo pass to Ariza on the baseline who finds Grant inside. Magic lead, 52-50 with 5:24 left.

8:36PM: Second half underway at Amway Arena and Tony Battie starts things off with a jumper to break the tie.

8:14PM: Arroyo has caught fire as the half comes to a close, but Butler hits another three and the Magic lead is only two, 41-39, in the final minute. The Hornets get called for defensive three seconds and Arroyo goes to the line to shoot the free throw, but misses. Magic have the ball out of bounds with 14 seconds left in the half. One last attempt for Orlando and Arroyo is double teamed and the ball is stolen by Marc Jackson, who goes to the basket at the other end, but is fouled by Arroyo. He hits the first free throw and also the second and we'll go into the locker room tied at the half at 41.

8:11PM: Hill makes a layup and is fouled in the motion to go to the free throw line. He hits the free throw and the Magic have a four-point lead. But Rasual Butler hits a three and the Hornets pull back within one. Arroyo gets two of those points back with a jumper and the Magic hold a 39-36 lead with 1:16 remaining in the half.

8:05PM: Orlando is unable to score on a fastbreak opportunity and the Hornets get to the line at the other end. Bass hits a pair of free throws and it's now a one point game. After another miss, Tyson Chandler tips back in a shot and the Hornets take their first lead of the night. But Orlando comes back as Dwight Howard's layup gives Orlando the lead, 34-33 with 3:00 left.

8:02PM: Brandon Bass, the former LSU standout, hits a couple of free throws and it's now only a one possession game. Magic fail to connect at the other end, but come down with a rebound after Hornets miss and Dwight Howard is fouled grabbing the rebound. Howard hits 1-of-2 and the Magic lead is now three with 4:30 left until the half.

7:57PM: That 20-point Magic lead has been squandered away and the home team has a mere seven point advantage midway through the second quarter. Make that a four-point lead after Pargo just drained his second straight lead. Magic leading 31-27 with 5:46 left. Brian Hill calls timeout to regroup.

7:53PM: A steal and almost a fastbreak bucket by Darko. The big man dribbled down the floor, but his layup banked too hard off the glass. Fortunately, Grant Hill was nearby for the put back. New Orleans, however, is started to put two and two together and only trail by nine now as the Magic aren't taking very good care of the basketball. The score is now 30-21 with 7:29 remaining in the first half.

7:48PM: Orlando's shooting percentage has dipped a bit, but the team still has a 13-point cushion in the early stages of the second quarter. Milicic, Diener, Dooling, Outlaw and Garrity are in the game. The Hornets shooting woes haven't been cured as a yet as the team is still only 4-of-22 (18.2 percent).

7:40PM: That's the end of the first quarter and the Magic have a comfortable 26-13 lead.

7:32PM: The Hornets finally have put a field goal in the box score after missing their first 14, but still trail the Magic, 23-6 with 2:42 left in the opening quarter.

7:26PM: The three days off from game action have certainly given these guys some fresh legs, as you can clearly see a difference on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. They've jumped out to a 21-3 lead. Ariza already has 10 points as the Magic are shooting 66 percent from the field in the opening quarter. NO/OKC has sputtered out of the gates - having missed their first 12 shots.

7:21PM: After going scoreless for the first two plus minutes of the game, the Magic have used the next 2:30 to build up an 11-1 lead. Grant Hill has scored five, while Trevor Ariza has four and Dwight Howard is also on the board with two points. The Hornets have started the game 0-of-5 from the field.

7:17PM: We're underway here in Orlando and it's a 1-0 Hornet lead in the opening two minutes. Magic just got on the board with a dunk from Trevor Ariza after a nice pass from Grant Hill.

We all enjoy three days off. Just think about how great those three-day weekends are and how all of us wish they would happen, say, every week. That sure would be nice.

But think about how much the Orlando Magic have enjoyed a three-day break from game action. The Magic spent 11 days on the road, sleeping in six different hotels while finishing 4-2 on their longest road trip of the season. But one day after arriving back home, the team began another brutal stretch with six games in nine days.

What did the long road trip and the barrage of games in the last three weeks do to the team? Field goal percentage has dropped, turnovers have increased once again and three key guys have gone down with injuries.

So yeah, having three days without a game not only gave the time a little time to rest up, but also gave them some gym time to work on areas that needed improvement.

And while the Magic have had to play the last week or so without Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Keith Bogans, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets come into tonight's contest without a few of its key components. Peja Stojakovic (back spasms), David West (strained right forearm) and Bobby Jackson (cracked left rib) are all out for an extended period of time - leaving the team looking to fill voids in a number of different departments.

TONIGHT’S OPPONENT:
Dec. 20 vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City (Orlando, FL): Orlando is 27-30 vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City (16-13 at home, 2-3 at New Orleans, 0-1 at Oklahoma City, 9-13 at Charlotte) during regular season action, including 1-1 last season...Orlando is 1-3 vs. the Hornets in the playoffs (2002 first round)...The Magic have won three of the last four meetings between the two clubs...Orlando has split the last six matchups at home and have split the last six road meetings as well…On Mar. 26 @ New Orleans, the Magic overcame a 20-point deficit and recorded a 97-95 win, tying for the fourth-largest comeback in franchise history…Head Coach Brian Hill served as an assistant coach with the Hornets for two seasons (2001-03)…Assistant GM Dave Twardzik was director of scouting and director of player personnel for the Hornets while they were in Charlotte from 1990-95…For last season’s stats and Magic career numbers vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City, see p. 271 of the media guide.
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. HORNETS: 46 pts., Shaquille O’Neal (@ Charlotte, 11-9-94)
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. MAGIC: 40 pts., Jamal Mashburn (@ New Orleans, 3-26-03); Glen Rice (@ Charlotte, 2-17-97)