On an evening the place each groups had been lacking their prime stars, the Magic (with out All-Star Paolo Banchero) dominated the paint and shared the ball to place Kevin Durant again with out Suns their fourth consecutive defeat.
For Orlandothe 109-99 victory at Footprint Heart is his sixth in a row, simply his second on the street within the first 15 video games and what a coach Jamahl Mosley was on the lookout for in his group when he opened a 3-game journey out West.
Franz Wagner led the best way with 32 factors, Anthony Black added a season-high 20, and the Magic led by as many as 19 towards the Suns, who fell on the street to the Timberwolves on the buzzer on Sunday.
“We stayed the course, did not get rattled and stored pushing,” Mosley mentioned after the 10-point victory.
Orlando’s street win over the Suns is the franchise’s first victory in Phoenix (9-6) since Nov. 30, 2018, ending a five-game street loss to the Washington foe. West.
The Magic (9-6) proceed their West Coast journey towards the Clippers on Wednesday within the league’s new area, the Intuit Dome, on the primary evening of a back-to-back (Orlando vs. the Lakers on Thursday).
From 5
Wendell Carter Jr. (left foot plantar fasciitis) was downgraded from questionable to eradicated earlier Monday, main Mosley to depend on the identical beginning 5 on the ground as he has within the final seven video games: Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell -Pope (9 factors), Franz Wagner, Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze.
Named Japanese Convention Participant of the Week that very same day, Wagner recorded his eighth straight recreation with 20+ factors. The dynamic rating was wanted for the Magic, who stay with out Banchero (torn proper belly muscle).
Wagner attacked the basket (12 paint factors) and made 4 triples with 8 assists and 5 rebounds.
“You ask guys to step up in these moments the place they do not have a full, wholesome crew and he did that and an additional model,” Mosley mentioned of Wagner. “It’s nice for what he does, who he’s and the way he works.”
Bitadze made his presence felt on each ends with an environment friendly 17 factors (7 of 8 FG) and a couple of blocks. He had 15 factors at halftime and recorded his fourth double-double with 10 rebounds.
Suggs was concerned from the beginning of the offense with 7 factors within the first quarter earlier than ending with 12 and a couple of blocks.
Carter missed his eighth straight recreation.
Second unit
Black, Gary Harris, Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac and Moe Wagner got here off the bench.
Portraying his playmaking skills, Black dished out a career-high 7 assists at halftime and notched 2 extra within the closing two frames whereas including 4 rebounds and three steals in 33 minutes.
“As quickly as he walked into the locker room, the blokes received him excited and for good motive,” Mosley mentioned of Black. “He does a lot work. [I’m] I am simply glad for him due to the quantity of labor he continued to place in.
Isaac helped defend Phoenix’s Devin Booker at occasions (17 factors, 5 fouls) and added 7 factors with 3 blocks.
Moe Wagner was lively within the paint with 9 factors and 6 rebounds.
Rookie Watch
Da Silva made his ninth straight begin of his younger profession and continued to do the little issues for the Magic.
His affect went past scoring (solely 3 factors) when the No. 18 choose had 6 assists and 5 rebounds on 26 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Second probability purpose
The Magic had uncharacteristic issues with Phoenix’s means to attain second-chance factors.
Orlando entered the sport holding its opponents to 9.1 second probability factors, which led the league, however allowed 12 second probability factors within the ninth minute of the second quarter.
Phoenix, which topped Orlando 45-38, completed with 20 second-chance factors and 16 offensive rebounds.
Jason Beede will be contacted at [email protected]
To be continued…
Magic at Clippers
When: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Intuit Dome
TV: FanDuel Sports activities Community Florida
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