Magic Vs. Hornets: Orlando Ends Yet Another Back-To-Back With Visit To Big Easy

Fresh off their second humiliating loss to the Boston Celtics in three days, the Orlando Magic head to the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Hornets on Friday. The game is Orlando's fourth in five nights, but fortunately for it, the Hornets, at 3-15, won't present nearly as difficult a challenge as Boston did.

Orlando squandered a 27-point lead, at home, on national television, to a Celtics squad missing three starters on Thursday night. That defeat came just two days after the Celtics limited the Magic to 56 points in a 31-point rout.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is on a nine-game losing skid. It's in full rebuild mode, having traded David West and Chris Paul during the offseason. Shooting guard Eric Gordon, the prize pickup in the Paul trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, has played just two games with his new club due to soreness in his knee, leaving the scoring duties to combo guard Jarrett Jack, who leads the team with 16.8 points per game.

Since the 2007/08 season, when Stan Van Gundy took over as Magic head coach, the Hornets have won five of their eight meetings with Orlando, including eacb of the last three.

For more on the Magic, please visit Orlando Pinstriped Post, SB Nation's Magic blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit At the Hive, SB Nation's Hornets blog.