Paolo Banchero has skilled many firsts for the reason that Orlando Magic chosen him with the No. 1 decide in June’s NBA draft.
His first summer-league recreation, media day and practice during training camp have been notable moments.
Now he can add his preseason NBA debut to the checklist — Monday evening’s 109-97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Obviously, it’s something I’ve been waiting for for a while,” Banchero mentioned forward of Monday’s recreation. “Excited to get on an NBA court in an NBA arena and just play a game. I’ve been waiting for a long time. Summer league was a step, but it wasn’t the real thing. So, happy to be here.”
Banchero had a number of highlight-reel-worthy performs, together with a dunk over John Konchar and Brandon Clarke late in the second quarter.
But like lots of the Magic gamers, he struggled scoring effectively (8 factors on 2-of-9 capturing) and turnovers (4).
Orlando completed with 25 giveaways, resulting in 33 Grizzlies factors.
In addition to the already-known absences of Markelle Fultz (left huge toe), Gary Harris (left knee) and Jonathan Isaac (left knee), Admiral Schofield (sore left knee) and Franz Wagner (relaxation after EuroBasket play with Germany males’s nationwide basketball crew) had been dominated out for Monday.
“A lot of that is monitoring his workload,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned of Wagner. “He averaged about 29 minutes over there and just getting acclimated back to what we’re doing here. Making sure we’re staying on top of it.”
Banchero, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. began towards Memphis.
Anthony led Orlando in scoring with 17 factors (6-10, 4-8 on 3s) to go together with 5 rebounds. Moe Wagner (15 factors, 4 rebounds, 2 steals), R.J. Hampton (14 factors, 7 assists) and Terrence Ross (12 factors) led a Magic bench unit that stored the sport aggressive.
The Grizzlies, who led by as a lot as 19, had been led by All-NBA guard Ja Morant (22 factors, 7 assists) and second-year ahead Santi Aldama (21 factors, 6 rebounds). Memphis held Orlando to 39.3% capturing (35-89).
Monday’s recreation was the primary of 5 preseason video games the Magic will play earlier than kicking off the common season towards the Pistons on Oct. 19 in Detroit.
Orlando will play the Spurs in San Antonio Thursday in its subsequent preseason recreation earlier than matching up towards the Mavericks in Dallas Friday.
The Magic wrap up their preseason slate with dwelling video games vs. the Grizzlies (Oct. 11) and Cleveland Cavaliers (Oct. 14).
For second-year coach Mosley, preseason is about experimenting with totally different lineups and mixtures whereas additionally persevering with to put the muse that was began final season and seeing the place gamers’ understandings of the crew’s ideas are.
“It’s our ability to see if they’re grasping the things we’ve asked from them from last year,” Mosley mentioned. “The level of consistency we’re asking them to play with; how they do things from what we learned last year. That’s the idea of leveling up — making sure they understand what we put in and how fast they can pick it up.”
Radio announcer
Ahead of Monday’s recreation, the Magic formally named Jake Chapman as Orlando’s radio play-by-play announcer.
Chapman started his profession with the Magic in 2006 as a radio intern earlier than serving because the crew’s radio producer from 2009-14.
He’s getting into his tenth season with the Magic after stints because the pregame and postgame host and government producer of the Detroit Pistons Radio Network and a producer and host for 92.3 The Fan and the Cleveland Browns Radio Network.
Chapman, who returned to the Magic in 2019, additionally serves because the crew’s radio producer, pregame and postgame radio host for the Magic Radio Network.
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