Before Friday’s 127-120 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was clear the Orlando Magic had the eye of different groups.
That particularly stays the case after Friday — for wished and undesirable causes.
The greatest story popping out of the victory was the on-court scuffle between Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers in entrance of the Magic’s bench that led to the ejections of Bamba, Rivers, Jalen Suggs, Taurean Prince and Jaden McDaniels.
It was the second on-court altercation the Magic have been concerned on this season after the one in Detroit on Dec. 28.
It wasn’t often called of Saturday afternoon what the potential punishments might be.
“It’s a fine line,” Magic massive man Moe Wagner stated. “You, obviously, want to have your teammate’s back. At the same time, you have to be a professional. That’s a challenge for a young team like us. This time around, we did a good job compared to [the] last time. It’s a weird dynamic. You don’t really want to be in those situations. You want to be professional. There’s something in me that appreciates the team sticking together like that.”
What that second overshadowed was the Magic’s progress in composure.
They didn’t permit the second to discourage them, constructing on the 10-point lead that they had when the ejections occurred and holding on for the victory even after the Timberwolves’ comeback push.
The Magic held it collectively in moments they beforehand would’ve faltered.
“You got to keep playing,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated of his message to the crew after the altercation. “You have to win the game between the lines. It’s not about all the talking; it’s not about anything of that. You got to make sure you play the right way. Do the right things. Continue to share the basketball and continue to defend.”
They’re 16-13 of their final 29 video games when guards Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz had their minutes restrictions lifted since returning Nov. 30.
Within that stretch, the Magic are 11-7 towards groups with a file of .500 and above on the time of the matchup.
“People talk about us being young all the time,” Anthony stated. “I don’t think that means anything. We’ve gotten to the point where people recognize us. We’re on people’s radars right now. The Orlando Magic, they’re young but they’re all right. We just stay the course, keep clawing our way through the league and try to get wins like this.”
The Magic (21-32) will finish their four-game street journey towards the Charlotte Hornets (15-39) Sunday.
The matchup will tip off at 1 p.m. as a result of it’ll be broadcast dwell in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as a part of “NBA Saturdays & NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23.”
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