Franz Wagner scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and the Orlando Magic withstood a 44-point performance by the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball to beat short-handed Charlotte 95-84.

Wagner’s offensive contributions are critical, especially for a Magic team that ranked 22nd in offensive efficiency last season and has dropped to 25th this season. It was ironic that the Magic beat the Lakers with 3-point shooting given that the Magic are the least accurate 3-point shooting team in the league this season at 30.9 percent.

The Orlando Magic often sound like a broken record when referencing the importance of protecting home court. Fresh off the emotional high of Fra