ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — The Orlando Magic look to continue their strong start and protect home court when they host the struggling Charlotte Hornets on Friday at Kia Center. The Magic (17-13) enter the post-Christmas matchup having won two of their last three, including a 110-106 road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Orlando sits firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, buoyed by the consistent play of guard Desmond Bane. He is averaging 20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists over his last 10 games, including a 37-point outburst against Miami on Dec. 9 and a 32-point performance in a narrow win at Utah on Dec. 20. Charlotte (10-20) arrives after snapping a two-game skid with a 126-109 home win over Washington on Tuesday. The Hornets’ season has been defined by inconsistency, particularly on the road where they are 4-11. A bright spot has been the recent rebounding surge of forward Moussa Diabate. He is coming off a career-high 18-rebound performance against the Wizards and has averaged 11.2 boards over his last five contests. The Magic won the season’s first meeting, 123-107 in Charlotte on Oct. 30. Orlando’s defense, ranked in the top 10, will aim to contain a Charlotte offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring but exploded for 133 points in a win over Atlanta last week. Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, who had 23 points and nine assists Tuesday, is the engine of that attack. For Orlando, balance has been key. In Tuesday’s win, Tyus Jones added 16 points and seven assists, while Anthony Black contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The Magic will need similar complementary scoring to offset Charlotte’s sporadic offensive bursts. The game begins a challenging back-to-back for Orlando, which hosts the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Charlotte continues a difficult stretch against likely playoff teams, with Milwaukee awaiting Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Friday at Kia Center.