The Magic were eliminated from the NBA Cup on Tuesday with a 114-109 loss to the Bucks in Milwaukee. But head coach Jamahl Mosley was extremely pleased with the way his team competed despite being without its two leading scorers, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel writes.
“We want them to understand what they just did, just from an effort category, from going toe-to-toe with two Hall of Famers (**Giannis Antetokounmpo* and Damian Lillard) and a very experienced basketball team,”* Mosley said after the loss. “In these moments, this is where the possessions matter. The mental focus matters in these games.
“But I can’t be more proud of their effort, their energy, their sticking together throughout the runs within the game that shows continued growth for this team and understanding how good we can continue to be.”
As a result of Tuesday’s loss, the Magic will have one game added to their regular season schedule. The exact matchup will depend on the outcome of the other Eastern Conference NBA Cup matchup.
According to Beede, if the Knicks beat the Hawks on Wednesday, the Magic will visit Atlanta on Sunday, whereas if the Hawks win tonight, the Magic will host New York on Sunday.
Here’s more on the Magic:
Admitting that he wasn’t even aware of what a torn oblique was before he and Banchero both sustained the same injury, Wagner said that he’s trying to take a positive approach to his recovery, according to Beede. “It can always be a lot worse,” Wagner said. “No doubt I’ll get healthy, Paolo will get healthy, and we’ll be good as a group. These things sometimes can remind you how much you take for granted.” The fourth-year forward also pointed out that his and Banchero’s absences will provide lesser-used Magic players with a prime opportunity to step up, which could pay off in the long run: “The way the roster is, we have so many talented guys that sometimes don’t get enough time. This will be good for them.”
One of those players who could take on a larger role with Banchero and Wagner out is third-year forward Caleb Houstan, who hadn’t logged double-digit minutes in a game until he played 18:08 on Sunday in Phoenix. After scoring eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbing a pair of rebounds, Houstan credited Orlando’s coaching staff and his teammates for helping him stay ready to contribute. “Everyone’s really supportive,” he said, per Beede. *“Everyone pushes each other. **Cory (Joseph)*‘s been a big help with that, just helping us stay ready, telling us to stay ready, pushing us to get in the gym and do the little things to be mentally still locked in.”
In an entertaining story for The Athletic, Fred Katz details how Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, and other young Magic players have been threatened with small fines any time they commit “silly” fouls in games. Those fines aren’t actually real, Katz explains, but many players believed they were, and the possibility of losing money from their bank accounts helped incentivize them to develop good habits on defense. “Our defensive culture, we lean on that,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “That’s our go-to. Each game, we emphasize defense.”