After going by way of one among their greatest runs of profitable within the final decade, the Orlando Magic are in what rookie ahead Paolo Banchero known as “a little slump”.
Friday’s 119-100 dwelling defeat to the Washington Wizards gave the Magic, who have been with out greater than half their staff due to suspensions and accidents, their third consecutive loss. The downturn got here after the Magic went 8-2 from Dec. 5-Dec. 23.
Each margin of defeat during the last three video games was by at the least 19 factors: Tuesday’s 129-110 dwelling loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday’s 121-101 street defeat to the Detroit Pistons and Friday.
An on-court altercation through the second quarter of the loss to the Pistons led to Orlando being with out 9 gamers Friday.
Moe Wagner was suspended for 2 video games for his function within the incident, with the primary sport of the suspension being Friday and the second being the Wednesday dwelling sport vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Eight different Magic gamers have been issued one-game suspensions for leaving the bench space through the altercation — a violation of the league’s guidelines.
Cole Anthony, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr., R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield and Franz Wagner have been the Magic gamers suspended for one sport — which have been staggered over two video games so the Magic would have sufficient accessible gamers.
Anthony, Bamba, Carter, Hampton and Gary Harris served their suspensions Friday, leaving Banchero, Schofield, Markelle Fultz, Caleb Houstan, Bol Bol, Terrence Ross, Kevon Harris and Franz Wagner because the eight accessible gamers. Jonathan Isaac (left knee damage restoration), Chuma Okeke (left knee surgical procedure) and Jalen Suggs (proper ankle soreness) have been out with accidents.
“The Detroit situation happened and a bunch of guys knocked out for that,” Banchero stated. “That kind of sets us back a little more. We kind of just going through a rough patch.”
Even with the context of getting eight gamers in the latest loss, the Magic haven’t executed on both finish of the ground the previous couple of days as nicely in comparison with the last few weeks.
The Magic ranked seventh in offensive score (115.5) and defensive score (109) in these aforementioned 10 video games. They vary thirtieth in offensive score (108.3) and nineteenth in defensive score (117.6) during the last three.
“It’s a little bit of effort,” stated Franz Wagner. “A little bit of concentration. The games were a little bit different in terms of — [Friday] was an energy-level thing. Communication. And we didn’t make shots. They were out and running in the two games prior. We just didn’t stick to our gameplan as well as we wanted to. A lot of the stuff that happens is in transition and that’s when guys get in their rhythm. That’s when it’s really hard to guard.”
The Magic (13-24) may have time to get proper, with their subsequent sport not coming till the matchup towards the Thunder at Amway Center.
They didn’t practice as a staff Saturday and received’t Sunday however are scheduled to return to observe Monday.
“It’s a tricky balance,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated. “You have a group of young guys that are working every single day but balancing how much they work vs. understanding their bodies need to get the rest. You don’t want to overdo it in practice to the point that in the game that their energy levels are lower. We’ll balance it out.”
Schofield, Kevon Harris, Franz Wagner and Moe Wagner will serve their suspensions towards the Thunder.
“We’ve got one more game of dealing with the suspensions, then we get everybody back,” Banchero stated. “You want to come out against OKC and try to get the win, but once that’s over with we’re back to regular.”
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