The Orlando Magic thrashed the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 to keep their season alive as the NBA playoffs' final teams were determined Friday.
Paolo Banchero top-scored with 25 points to set up a daunting first-round playoff series for the Magic against the Eastern Conference top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
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It was Orlando's last chance to qualify for the post-season via the play-in tournament, having failed at their first attempt against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
The Golden State Warriors take on the Phoenix Suns later Friday for the Western Conference's No. 8 seed, after which the full NBA playoff schedule will be finalized.
A physical, tough Magic outfit outmuscled the youthful Hornets from the tip-off of the win-or-go-home game in front of a sell-out 19,000 home crowd at Orlando's Kia Canter.
Banchero bulldozed Charlotte's defense, scoring 12 in the first quarter alone.
Having never trailed by more than a single point, Orlando soon stretched comfortably clear, establishing a giant 35-point lead shortly before half-time.
Recovering from a sluggish start, LaMelo Bell -- the hero of the Hornets' first play-in game against Miami on Tuesday -- exploded after the break.
He poured in 21 points in the third quarter alone as he tried to single-handedly extend Charlotte's season.
But Orlando's lead never dipped below 20 points, as the Magic eased to a win against a Charlotte side that had finished the regular season in strong form.
Victory ensured the Magic have reached the playoffs for the third straight season, while the Hornets' decade-long wait goes on.
The NBA playoffs begin Saturday.
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