With the Orlando Magic’s five-game West Coast highway journey coming to a detailed, they’ve a chance to attain a feat they haven’t achieved in over a decade.
The Magic (16-27) wish to clinch their second profitable highway journey of a minimum of three video games this season with a victory over the West-leading Denver Nuggets (29-13) Sunday night time at Ball Arena.
Orlando is 2-2 on the swing after Friday’s 112-108 loss on the Utah Jazz, having picked up wins over the Golden State Warriors (Jan. 7) and Portland Trail Blazers (Tuesday).
The Magic haven’t posted a profitable report on two separate highway journeys of a minimum of three video games in the identical season since 2011-12 once they went 4-0 on a Jan. 8-16 swing and 3-2 on a Feb. 19-29 journey.
They went 3-1 on their mid-December swing, giving them their first profitable highway journey of a minimum of three video games since Dec. 26-29, 2020.
“Being above .500 on a long road trip like this is not easy to do, especially against these good teams we’ve played,” stated Franz Wagner, who led the Magic with 26 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 steals towards the Jazz. “This next game is a good chance for us.”
Friday’s loss highlighted a number of the season-long inconsistencies the Magic have skilled, particularly these days.
Walker Kessler grabbing the offensive rebound over Mo Bamba after Collin Sexton’s missed free throws, which helped put the Jazz up 111-108 with 11.8 seconds left, is a simple second to level at why Orlando misplaced.
But that play was a part of a game-long drawback.
The Jazz out-rebounded the Magic 59-40, together with 17 offensive rebounds for 22 second-chance factors.
The Magic have been an above-average defensive rebounding staff (72.2% defensive rebounding share for the league’s Thirteenth-best mark) however have dipped to twenty first (70.8%) over their final 10 video games.
“We didn’t clean up the rebounding,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated. “Obviously, that big rebound at the end of the game — those are the possessions you have to lock in on.”
Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, the back-to-back MVP, is predicted to be out there after not being on Saturday’s damage report. He sat out Friday’s highway win over the Los Angeles Clippers due to proper wrist damage administration.
Denver has received 15 of its final 18 video games, together with 5 straight. Guard Jamal Murray, who was listed as possible due to a sprained left ankle, is predicted to play.
Gary Harris was listed as questionable due to mallet finger (fifth digit) on his capturing hand. Harris left Friday’s sport with a hand damage, in keeping with the Magic’s broadcast.
R.J. Hampton (not with the staff), Kevon Harris (transferred to G League as a part of his two-way contract), Jonathan Isaac (G League task) and Chuma Okeke (left knee surgical procedure) received’t be out there.
Hampton didn’t play for the Lakeland Magic, the group’s G League affiliate, of their Saturday dwelling sport towards the Greensboro Swarm and isn’t anticipated to rejoin the NBA staff on the highway for the ultimate sport of the journey.
This is why he was listed as “not with the team” as an alternative of “G League — On assignment.”
Hampton had 23 factors, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Swarm.
Isaac, who performed for Lakeland on Wednesday for his first official basketball sport in 892 days, suited up once more for Lakeland on Saturday as a part of his return-to-play course of to the Orlando Magic.
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