The Orlando Magic’s bench confirmed one thing particular at Amway Center in Thursday’s upset of the Golden State Warriors.
Hustle.
It’s been a part of an id that coach Jamahl Mosley has been making an attempt to construct on since he took over final season. But now the Magic have to see outcomes to match that effort and present actual progress.
It began early with the reserves. It paid off late, and the starters had been in higher place to shut.
“We’re not in the first quarter if Chuma [Okeke] doesn’t come in there and knock down some big shots,” Mosley mentioned of his reserve ahead making all 4 of his field-goal makes an attempt to maintain the rating even at 30 coming into the second quarter. “It’s a testament to those guys staying ready and stepping into the big moment and not being afraid.”
After beginning the season 1-7, being shut in a number of video games down the stretch solely to see victory escape, the Magic achieved it with a 130-129 victory.
Trailing by 16 within the third quarter, the Magic made their transfer. They reduce the deficit to six after Okeke missed a 3 and rookie Kevon Harris put it again and drew a foul.
Harris missed the and-1 alternative however Okeke returned the favor by rebounding his miss. He kicked the ball out to Jalen Suggs, who dished it to R.J. Hampton for a 3-pointer that made it a one-possession rating at 96-94.
It electrified the world. The Magic’s confidence grew with it.
It’s one factor for No. 1 general choose Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner to make a giant shot. The offense runs via them with the beginning unit and there’s a sure degree of expectation that comes with that accountability.
What made that sequence of hustle performs and ball motion important was that it got here from the Magic’s bench, a unit that had been underachieving and having problem holding leads and decreasing deficits.
In a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, the bench mixed for 30 factors however Harris didn’t rating. Suggs, who got here off the bench after a five-game absence due to an harm, shot 3-for-14 in that sport. Caleb Houstan made just one of 5 pictures.
Their effectivity was improved Thursday in contributing 45 factors. Okeke (16 factors), Hampton (15 factors) and Harris (12 factors) mixed to shoot 12-for-19 (63.1%).
Still, it was the hustle that made the distinction. With two minutes left within the third quarter, Hampton dribbled into the nook and threw an errant move that was stolen by Warriors middle James Wiseman.
Hampton didn’t cling his head over the error. He ran again on protection to pressure a steal from behind to make up for it.
“I really believe it is part of it for our guys to understand that we must stay the course no matter happens in a 48-minute game,” Mosley mentioned. “We saw what happened the other night and they learned from that. Understanding that they have to play it down the stretch and you have to dominate the simple plays, and we did that.”
While the Magic had been creating their very own luck with hustle performs, it was Golden State, winner of 4 NBA titles since 2015, that faltered late.
Suggs, now again within the beginning lineup, picked up the place the bench had left off. He’d already missed all of his makes an attempt from 3, however he caught the wave.
Suggs knocked down his solely makes from 3 after they counted most, the primary coming in opposition to a busted protection to place Orlando up 122-120 with 1:48 left.
“They messed up the switch,” he mentioned. “Draymond [Green] was all the way back. Really wasn’t guarding anybody. He was all the way back in the paint. Out towards our screener. Nobody around.”
With 37.7 seconds remaining, Suggs broke a 126-all tie with one other 3 and the Magic by no means regarded again.
“Be the goldfish,” Suggs mentioned, repeating recommendation he has acquired from his coaches, particularly assistant Nate Tibbetts, regardless that he’s capturing lower than 30% from 3 for the season. “Goldfish have short-term memory. He tells me that a lot in terms of whether it’s a turnover, missed shot, whatever, be the goldfish. … Trust your work.”
If they’ll repeat this effort Saturday vs. the Sacramento Kings, the Magic could have their first successful streak of the season.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com