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Magic down Hornets despite Walker's 42

Dec 28, 2014 - 4:05 AM Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Nikola Vucevic scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic overcame Kemba Walker's career-high scoring effort to down the Charlotte Hornets, 102-94, in a matchup of the bottom two teams in the Southeast Division.

The Magic committed only six turnovers and had six players finish in double figures to win for just the third time in their last 10 games.

Tobias Harris hit a key 3-pointer and netted 21 points, Victor Oladipo added 13 and Elfrid Payton filled his stat line with 11 points, eight assists and seven boards.

Kemba Walker exploded for 35 of his 42 points after halftime, but Charlotte still dropped its second straight on the heels of a four-game winning streak.

"I had a great game, but it wasn't enough," Walker said. "It's disappointing we lost."

The Hornets had scored 100-plus points in five straight games before shooting an ugly 28.7 percent from the field in Friday's loss to the Thunder.

Their struggles continued Saturday and were summed up by P.J. Hairston airballing a 3-point try in the closing seconds of the opening quarter.

They trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half and went into the break down 52-42 after making 39.1 percent of their shots compared to 53.5 percent for the Magic.

Walker's 19 points in the third kept the Magic from pulling away, but the Hornets still entered the fourth in an 81-68 hole.

Charlotte was within eight, 94-86, down the stretch and had several chances to get closer. Walker, though, was short on two chances in the lane, Gerald Henderson missed a jumper and Harris drilled a game-sealing 3-pointer with 1:35 to go.

"We played a full game," Harris said. "Everyone out there just played their role."

Game Notes

Walker, whose previous career-best was 35 points, shot 15-of-31 from the floor and 5-of-12 from the perimeter. He also recorded seven assists, and his 35 points in the second half were the first in any half by a Charlotte player ... Charlotte's Al Jefferson played through a strained left groin and totaled 14 points and nine rebounds ... The Magic have won both meetings so far this season, both in Charlotte.