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The Bobcats trip through the Sunshine State was anything but bright as they finished out their two-game road swing with an 85-77 loss at Orlando on Tuesday night. Hampered by injuries, the Bobcats came into the game looking for a much-needed spark. They got one in the form of their bench, which accounted for 48 of the team's 77 points.

In the end though, the Bobcats could not overcome a fourth-quarter Magic run and the performance of second-year forward Dwight Howard. Howard finished the game with his fifth-consecutive double-double, posting 20 points and a career-high-tying 21 rebounds.

The Magic came into the game 0-3 on their home court but burst out of the gate, establishing an early 6-0 lead. Charlotte clawed back to within two before Orlando, behind 10 first-quarter points from Howard, used a 10-2 run to build a 10-point cushion. With the Bobcats struggling, Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff went to his bench. Led by Keith Bogans, the Bobcats second unit turned up the defense, forcing the Magic to miss their next seven shots. This spurred a 12-1 Bobcats run and gave Charlotte a one-point lead with 30 seconds left in the first period.

The Bobcats continued to play well in the second period, as a Sean May jump shot extended Charlotte's lead to six. With the Magic nipping at their heels, Charlotte continued to hold a slim lead until a jump shot by Steve Francis tied the score at 34. The Magic used an 8-0 run moments later to take a 44-36 advantage. The Bobcats, behind five points from May, answered with a 10-0 run of their own to build a two-point lead with 42 seconds left in the half. Hedo Turkoglu connected on a three-pointer with 23 seconds left to give the Magic a 47-46 lead as the two teams headed to the locker rooms.

In the third quarter, neither team could find their shooting range as both squads shot below 35 percent in the period. Orlando managed to maintain a slim margin throughout most of the third, but could not pull away as the Bobcats trailed by three heading into the fourth quarter.

Just 32 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Bobcats suffered another blow to their frontcourt as center Jake Voskuhl went down with a left ankle sprain. He would not return to the game.

Holding a 67-64 lead with 10:40 remaining, the Magic took advantage of several Charlotte miscues, to go on a 12-4 run and take an 11-point lead with 5:55 left in the game. This time the Bobcats did not have an answer, as Charlotte could get no closer than seven in the closing minutes. The loss drops the Bobcats to 2-6 on the season.

Bogans led the Bobcats with a season-high 18 points while May posted the first double-double of his career, recording 15 points and 10 rebounds.

In addition to Howard's 21 points, the Magic had four other players finish in double figures. DeShawn Stevenson posted 16 points while Tony Battie added a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

NOTES: The Bobcats outscored the Magic 13-9 in fastbreak points...On the season, the Bobcats have outscored their opponents 136-75 in this category...The Bobcats were held under 80 points for the first time this season.

INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM
Bobcats Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff
(On the game) We’re just not professionally getting it done. It’s real simple. I don’t think we had a starter who went to the free throw line tonight. That unit, we’re just not getting out of the gate. I think there has to be a little more focus, there has to be a little more professionalism and that, right there, is where the problem lies. We’re just not getting it done. We got outworked on the boards. They missed their shots and they cleaned them up. It’s all about pride.

(On the play of his bench to keep his team in the game) It’s a hole that you dug, even though Bogans came in and did a nice job. They can’t keep surmounting leads. Somewhere, when you got guys like Francis, Nelson or Howard, they’re going to make a play when you’re trying to come back after digging that deficit. Those young men in that locker room need to re-focus. It doesn’t get any easier, as now we have Indiana back-to-back, and then we hit Minnesota. I just don’t like the professional approach of this basketball team as it is.

(On his team’s defense) There are a lot of sieves, and that’s what we are right now. We’re just not getting it done collectively. Again, I think we have to re-group. Those men in that locker room have to find the will to get it done. The areas that we’re talking about, those are the work ethic areas.

(On Voskuhl’s injury) I haven’t talked to our trainers about it yet. I’m afraid to. From what I could surmise it was the same one he hurt last time.

(On the struggles of Emeka Okafor) Tonight he as out of it right away. He got two fouls and we had to quickly get him out. Then he went out in the second quarter, picked up his third. When you’re having a hard time, and you’re picking up fouls too, that’s difficult. It’s something he has to work out.

Bobcats Forward Emeka Okafor
(On what went wrong tonight) I have no idea. No starter (Bobcat) shot one free throw? Wow…

(On his recent offensive struggles) I am not used to this. I don’t know, I am not used to this. I better keep my head strong. You can’t let it spread. Once you let it get to your head, it is over. You have to keep your focus and keep working. Whatever it is…hopefully it will pass. I am just not playing very well right now.

(On Dwight Howard) He (Howard) played very strong. I am not really surprised. They are pretty much giving him the ball more this year. They are giving him a lot more touches this year.

Bobcats Forward Sean May
In this league it is very tough to come out for 82 games and get that first jump. That is what we need and the first group (starters) has to set the tone. We just have to look at ourselves and make some adjustments as to how we are preparing for games. That is our job and we have to win games. We have to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we are doing our part and then come together collectively and get it done.

(On what the team needs to do to win) We have good guys on this team and guys who know how to play the game. We have to go back to what we were doing the last four or five games of the preseason, and the first two or three games of the regular season. We are getting away from what we do best and that is locking up on defense, get turnovers, and score off those turnovers. Right now we are getting the turnovers, but we are not transitioning them into buckets.

(On the bench) The thing about this game is you have to get a lot of interchangeable parts. When you come out with Primoz and Emeka, and you come off the bench with Jake and I, we can both shoot the basketball and do some things. There is not a tremendous dropoff. Those are our guys who set the tone and right now they are just struggling. For us, we just have to stay confident in our ability and the bench has to continue to do what it has been doing. The first unit is going to be fine.