For many of the first half, it regarded as if the Orlando Magic’s 119-109 street win at Philadelphia on Monday was going to be a repeat of their Saturday residence loss to Chicago.
The defensive depth was missing early. They allowed early shotmaking — or the shortage of it — to have an effect on their defensive effort. This led to the 76ers taking a game-high 48-27 lead halfway via the second quarter.
But the Magic discovered options to their issues in opposition to the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center sooner than they did in opposition to the Bulls.
“The resiliency of the group,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned. “It shows growth in that they’re learning from experiences. They find a way to bounce back, believe in each other and understand it’s got to be the defensive side of the ball.”
The Magic turned up the defensive focus within the second quarter — six 76ers turnovers within the interval — whereas attacking the basket extra on offense.
They leaned on the scoring manufacturing of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner (19 factors, 6 rebounds and three assists), who mixed for 21 factors within the second, to chop the result in 8 and 62-52 heading into the second half.
“We actually didn’t watch any film [at halftime],” Banchero mentioned of the message at halftime. “Usually, we watch movie. He didn’t placed on any movie. He was like ‘you guys got to play harder” and fired us up. Just us we need to play better, harder and basically that we’re an excellent crew and we have to act prefer it.”
Banchero’s offensive rhythm continued into the third, scoring 14 of his 29 factors within the quarter to present the Magic a 94-90 lead heading into the fourth.
From there, it was a by-committee strategy and a powerful defensive fourth quarter that allowed the Magic (20-31) to select up their first win of the season over the 76ers (32-17).
Moe Wagner scored 14 of his 22 factors within the fourth, attacking Joel Embiid (30 factors, 11 rebounds and 5 assists however 5 fouls) within the paint and serving to put the 76ers huge man in foul hassle.
The Magic restricted the 76ers to 19 factors within the fourth, ending Philadelphia’s successful streak at seven video games. The 76ers dedicated 18 turnovers for 20 Magic factors and completed with 14 fewer discipline purpose makes an attempt than the Magic.
“I’m so proud of these young men,” Mosley mentioned. “You talk about the way that first half started. We were hanging our heads a little bit but those guys pulled themselves together at halftime. They showed up defensively.”
Markelle Fultz’s enthusiasm was palpable Monday evening.
The matchup was Fultz’s first recreation again in Philadelphia because the 76ers, the crew that chosen Fultz with the No. 1 choose within the 2017 draft, traded him to Orlando on Feb. 7, 2019.
He completed with 12 factors and 10 assists for his first double-double of the season whereas including 4 steals.
“I’m excited,” Fultz instructed the Orlando Sentinel forward of Monday’s recreation. “It’s a little bit different. Obviously now, they got a different coaching staff. They got some of the players but still the same feelings as far as going back to Philly, play there and have the chance to play in front of their fans.”
Playing in opposition to the 76ers in Philadelphia has been a very long time coming for Fultz.
He’s missed the Magic’s earlier 5 video games in Philadelphia due to accidents. The lone “road” recreation he performed in opposition to the 76ers was the Aug. 8, 2020, matchup within the league’s “bubble” at Disney World.
“I wanted to play as soon as I got traded,” mentioned Fultz, who sat the remainder of the 2018-19 season after being traded to the Magic. “Obviously, I wanted to go there and play against them. With injuries and everything, I never had a chance to go in Philly and play them.”
After almost 4 years, the anticipate Fultz ended Monday.
“He and I talked about that,” Mosley mentioned after Monday’s shootaround. “Obviously, he talked about the fans have always been great fans. This is a fanbase city. They’re excited. They get behind their team. This is a young kid who was drafted here, so I know there’s going to be love for him here because of the young man he is.”
Being again in Philadelphia allowed Fultz to mirror on town wherein he spent the primary 1½ years of his NBA profession.
“Just passion,” Fultz mentioned. “I feel like, it’s kind of close to home. Philly being a grimy city and the way they love their sports teams are kind of different. They give tough love sometimes. My time and experience there was very dope, especially with the city. I felt like they gave me a lot of love. Just living there for a little bit, being able to embrace the culture they have there is pretty dope.”
He added: “It was a positive thing. Everything happens for a reason, I’m a firm believer in that. I’m very thankful for everything that Philly’s done for me.”
Fultz’s time with the 76ers was rocky.
He performed in simply 33 of 136 regular-season video games throughout the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons with the 76ers due to a nerve problem in his proper shoulder that was later recognized as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome earlier than being traded to Orlando forward of the 2019 commerce deadline.
Fultz has turned his profession round since arriving in Orlando.
“Not necessarily — I just think it was a matter of me getting healthy, really,” Fultz responded when requested if the commerce was wanted for him to get his profession again on monitor. “Everything happens for a reason. I feel like I can bring value to any team I’m on. It just happened I was traded and got a new opportunity. Of course, I’m thankful for that opportunity. It definitely opened up a new pathway.”
His healthiest season got here in 2019-20 when he performed 72 video games (60 begins) and averaged 12.1 factors (46.5% taking pictures from the sphere) and 5.1 assists in 27.7 minutes.
Fultz missed many of the earlier two seasons due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that he suffered in January 2021, simply eight video games into the 2020-21 season.
After a 14-month absence, he returned to the ground on Feb. 28 and averaged 10.8 factors (47.4% taking pictures), 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20 minutes (18 video games).
He missed the primary 21 video games of this season after fracturing his left huge toe late within the offseason however has been a major cause for the Magic’s turnaround.
Fultz entered Monday averaging 12.1 factors (career-high 50% taking pictures), 5.6 assists and three.8 rebounds in 27.9 minutes (29 video games).
The Magic are 15-15 within the video games with Fultz in comparison with 5-16 with out him.
“I feel amazing,” Fultz mentioned. “I still feel like I have a lot to improve on and work on, but I’m really enjoying this process of just waking up every day, enjoying it and being able to play the game I love and have fun doing it. The biggest thing is that I’m out there competing and having fun. I’m really enjoying the process of getting better every day.”
Every Magic participant traveled for the four-game journey, together with Chuma Okeke, the lone injured participant.
“Having all our guys [here] is fantastic to see,” Mosley mentioned. “We had a film session with everybody in the room, which was awesome.”
Okeke missed 13 consecutive video games from Nov. 25-Dec. 18 due to left knee soreness earlier than present process arthroscopic knee surgical procedure (a chondroplasty — a process that includes shaving/smoothing broken cartilage) on Dec. 19 that’s stored him sidelined since.
“Chuma being here, it’s great to have him on board,” Mosley mentioned. “He’s moving around on the court, getting shots, getting work in and getting more physical contact with guys. It’s really good for him to be on this trip.”
“We’re slowly gonna move him into getting some contact with players as we go. He’s going to slowly ramp up.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com