With a number of regular-rotation gamers sitting out or taking part in restricted minutes on the ultimate day of the common season, the Orlando Magic fell 123-110 on the Miami Heat on Sunday to complete 34-48.
After being eradicated from contending for a spot within the play-in match with their Tuesday loss to Cleveland, the Magic shifted their focus to attempting 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 pair of assists in quarter-hour), Caleb Houstan, Franz Wagner (10 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of steals in quarter-hour) and Wendell Carter Jr. for the primary time, with a lot of the beginning lineup taking part in 16 or fewer minutes.
Houstan scored a career-high 21 factors on 6-of-14 taking pictures (5 of 11 on 3-pointers).
Kevon Harris had a career-high 22 factors (7-of-12 taking pictures, 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 interior thigh surgical procedure on March 3), guard Jay Scrubb (ineligible to play) and ahead Moe Wagner (sprained proper ankle) sat out.
Florida alum Udonis Haslem, who performed in his closing regular-season recreation with the Heat after a 20-year profession in Miami, led his group with a game-high 24 factors — his highest-scoring recreation 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) already have been locked in at No. 7 within the Eastern Conference, the highest spot to qualify for the postseason play-in match.
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 recreation on Friday to find out the No. 8 seed within the playoffs.
The Magic’s 12-win enchancment from final season was probably the most within the East and the third-most within the league behind the Sacramento Kings (48-34 this season after going 30-52 in 2021-22, an 18-win enchancment) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42 after going 24-58 final 12 months, a 16-win enchancment).
Sunday’s loss, the Indiana Pacers beating the New York Knicks and the Portland Trail Blazers falling to the Golden State Warriors meant the Magic’s first-round draft decide can have the sixth-best odds of turning into the No. 1 decide within the May 16 draft lottery.
According to Tankathon, Orlando’s odds will probably be:
- 9% for the No. 1 decide
- 9.2% for No. 2
- 9.4% for No. 3
- 9.6% for No. 4
- 8.6% for No. 6
- 29.7% for No. 7
- 20.6% for No. 8
- 3.7% for No. 9
- 0.2% for No. 10.
The Magic might have an extra first-round decide within the June 22 draft. The Chicago Bulls, who completed at No. 10 within the East and can play at Toronto on Wednesday within the play-in match, owe Orlando a top-four protected decide.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com