Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic: predictions, odds, how to watch

The Charlotte Hornets' win over the Miami Heat to stay alive in the Eastern Conference playoffs certainly wasn't without controversy. Star guard LaMelo Ball was seen holding onto Bam Adebayo's leg early on in the game, which would cost Ball a Flagrant Foul 2 and a $35,000 fine. Adebayo would only be able to play 11 minutes when all was said and done.

However, that is in the past now. The Hornets are looking forward, or more specifically, looking at the Orlando Magic as the two teams prepare to do battle for the Eastern Conference's No. 8 playoff seed on Friday, April 17.

The winner of Friday night's game will earn the right to face the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. It's win-or-go-home, meaning both teams will put everything on the line in order to come out victorious. Here's everything to know for the Hornets-Magic showdown:

How to watch Hornets vs. Magic

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
• Location: Kia Center in Orlando, FL
• TV: Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Florida
• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

Hornets vs. Magic odds, lines

*All odds via BetMGM

• Spread: Hornets (-3.5)
• Moneyline: Hornets (-175); Magic (+145)
• Over/Under: 218.5

Predictions for Hornets vs. Magic

USA TODAY: Four of five experts picking Hornets to advance

Well, don't I feel like a fool. I was one of only two people in our staff predictions to pick the Magic to win the game for the No. 7 seed. And thus, I was the only person to not pick the Hornets to win tonight's game for the No. 8 seed. I'd much rather my coworkers be proven right than me be proven half, sort-of, maybe kinda right though.

Still, I'm not sure I trust the Hornets' young core to step up in a winner-take-all game especially after we saw Kon Knueppel drop a goose egg from beyond the arc last time out.

Jason Logan, Covers: Knueppel OVER 2.5 assists

Logan writes, "Before the Play-In, he had dished out three or more assists in four of the final five games of the schedule, including two five-dime showings. The Hornets need more from Knueppel than long-range chucks if they’re going to punch their ticket to the playoffs Friday. In the two most recent matchups with the Orlando Magic, Knueppel dished out four assists in each outing – both one-sided wins for Charlotte."

OddsShark: Hornets (-4)

OddsShark writes, "A 109-97 defeat for the Magic at the hands of the Joel Embiid-less 76ers was a horrid follow-up to a demoralizing season finale loss to a Boston Celtics squad that rested eight rotation players. A win in the latter would have earned home-court advantage against Philadelphia, and perhaps avoided needing to compete for a second time in this year's play-in bracket. Now, they'll need to beat a Charlotte Hornets team that's not only feeling good after an overtime victory against the Miami Heat in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game, but one that had the sixth-best record in the entire league from January 1 onward at 33-16 (.673)."