With a number of rotation gamers sitting or enjoying restricted minutes on the ultimate day of the common season, the Orlando Magic fell to Miami Heat 123-108 Sunday in Miami, ending with a 34-48 document.
After being eradicated from contending for a spot within the play-in event with their Tuesday loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic shifted their focus to making an attempt out totally different rotations to shut out the season.
Orlando began with the lineup of Markelle Fultz (7 factors in 11 minutes), Jalen Suggs (8 factors, 7 rebounds and a couple of assists in quarter-hour), Caleb Houstan, Franz Wagner (10 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a couple of steals in quarter-hour) and Wendell Carter Jr. for the primary time, with a lot of the beginning lineup enjoying 16 or fewer minutes.
Houstan scored a career-high 21 factors on 6-of-14 capturing (5 of 11 on 3-pointers).
Kevon Harris had a career-high 22 factors (7-of-12 capturing, 4-of-7 on 3s) and eight rebounds off the bench. Chuma Okeke had 14 factors, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in 33 minutes.
“Whoever puts on that jersey and steps on the floor, they’re going to compete,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned. “That’s what that group did.”
Forward Paolo Banchero (again tightness), ahead Jonathan Isaac (season-ending left inside thigh surgical procedure on March 3), guard Jay Scrubb (ineligible to play) and ahead Moe Wagner (sprained proper ankle) sat.
Udonis Haslem, who performed in his closing common season sport with the Heat after a 20-year profession in Miami, led his workforce with a game-high 24 factors — his highest-scoring sport since having 28 on Nov. 14, 2009 and tied for the second-most factors he scored throughout his NBA profession.
“I just have to give him so much respect for what he’s done for this franchise, this Heat organization,” Mosley mentioned. “Him being able to talk about the respect he has for our team says a lot because he’s seen a lot.”
The Heat (44-38) had been already locked in at No. 7 within the Eastern Conference, the highest spot to qualify for the postseason play-in event.
They sat Jimmy Butler (relaxation) and Nikola Jovic (again spasms). Most of the Heat’s common rotation performed restricted minutes, together with none within the second half.
Miami will host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday on the newly-named Kaseya Center to find out who’ll be the No. 7 seed for the East’s playoff bracket and play the Boston Celtics within the first spherical. The loser will host the convention’s concluding play-in sport on Friday to find out the No. 8 seed within the playoffs.
The Magic’s 12-win enchancment from final season was essentially the most within the East and the third-most within the league behind the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder.
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