Regardless of the circumstances, the Magic already have been feeling assured even once they wrapped up a 5-game winless highway journey final week at Indiana.
That confidence solely grew when Orlando pieced collectively 4 straight wins with out Paolo Banchero (torn proper belly muscle) and Wendell Carter Jr. (left foot plantar fasciitis) at Kia Heart.
However Jamahl Mosley‘s squad captured maybe its most difficult victory Friday evening when the group fought again from a 10-point second-half deficit to prevail 98-86 towards the star-studded 76ers in NBA Cup motion.
Regardless of a mixed 62 factors from Philadelphia’s first-round decide Jared McCain (29), 2-time scoring champ Joel Embiid (20) and All-NBA wing Paul George (13), the Magic held their fifth straight opponent to below 100 factors to enhance to 7-0 at residence.
As well as, Orlando moved to 2-0 in group play of the league’s in-season match whereas handing the 76ers their second loss in Cup video games.
The Magic start a 3-game highway journey out west at Phoenix on Monday.
Beginning 5
For the seventh straight recreation, Mosley caught with the identical first 5 on the ground: Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze.
Wagner continued to be a power on offense with out Banchero on the courtroom. The Magic ahead had 16 by halftime and ended with a team-high 31, marking his seventh in a row with 20-plus.
Not a lot modified for Suggs after he entered Friday capturing 11 of 47 (23.4%) from 3-point vary up to now 8 video games. He went 0 of 6 from distance the primary half.
However whilst his shot didn’t fall, Suggs’ effort didn’t diminish as he drove to the paint to complete 19 factors with 7 rebounds. His lone triple of the evening put Orlando forward by 10 on the 3:10 mark of the fourth quarter.
Caldwell-Pope (8 factors), who had a 3-pointer bounce in because the first-half buzzer sounded, helped defend George all through the evening.
Second unit
Mosley relied on simply 4 gamers off the bench for a lot of the evening. That included Anthony Black, Gary Harris, Jonathan Isaac and Moe Wagner.
Isaac (11 factors) matched his minutes as a lot as he may with Embiid and held his personal at instances towards the league MVP. The Magic ahead, who performed 25 minutes, did job of limiting Embiid’s time spent within the submit and labored to power him to the perimeter.
Moe Wagner drilled a 3-pointer early within the fourth quarter so as to add to his 14 factors. He and Isaac have been the lone reserves to complete in double figures.
Rookie watch
The Magic’s No. 18 decide made his eighth consecutive begin and completed with 6 factors, which included a turnaround jumper from the precise elbow within the first quarter.
Persevering with to chop to the basket when potential, together with for a third-quarter dunk off a bounce cross from Suggs, da Silva added 3 rebounds in 18 minutes.
On the other facet, McCain linked from distance with success, going 5 of 10. However he fouled out with 5 minutes left within the recreation.
Jason Beede might be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up subsequent …
Magic at Suns
When: 9, Monday, Footprint Heart
TV:Â FanDuel Sports activities Community Florida
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