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Bane, Magic host the Hornets

By The Associated Press

Charlotte Hornets (10-20, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (17-13, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic host the Charlotte Hornets in Eastern Conference action Friday.

The Magic are 5-2 in division games. Orlando is third in the Eastern Conference with 33.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Paolo Banchero averaging 7.5.

The Hornets are 3-4 against the rest of the division. Charlotte ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 44.4 rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 7.9.

The Magic average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 fewer makes per game than the Hornets give up (13.3). The Hornets’ 45.5% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.3 percentage points lower than the Magic have allowed to their opponents (47.8%).

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Magic won 123-107 in the last matchup on Oct. 30. Franz Wagner led the Magic with 21 points, and Collin Sexton led the Hornets with 19 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is averaging 19.1 points and 4.6 assists for the Magic. Anthony Black is averaging 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals over the past 10 games.

Miles Bridges is scoring 20.6 points per game and averaging 6.1 rebounds for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 5.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 5-5, averaging 113.0 points, 45.4 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.

Hornets: 4-6, averaging 114.6 points, 44.0 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.2 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (leg), Goga Bitadze: day to day (knee), Tristan da Silva: day to day (shoulder), Moritz Wagner: out (knee), Jalen Suggs: day to day (hip).

Hornets: Mason Plumlee: day to day (groin), Grant Williams: out (acl), Ryan Kalkbrenner: day to day (elbow).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

By WTOP Staff
▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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