Even after being eradicated from postseason rivalry, the Orlando Magic nonetheless had one factor to play in Thursday’s 118-94 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Magic entered the matchup .500 at home, vying for his or her first worthwhile file at Amway Middle in 4 seasons.
Even with that in ideas the Magic sat their starters, selecting players who haven’t been inside the rotation inside the defeat, giving Orlando a dropping home file (20-21) for the third consecutive season.
Paolo Banchero (once more tightness), Wendell Carter Jr. (left hip soreness), Fultz (left knee soreness), Gary Harris (left inside thigh soreness) and Franz Wagner (sprained left ankle) weren’t accessible. Neither was Jonathan Isaac (season-ending left inside thigh surgical process on March 3).
Cole Anthony, the workforce’s principal scorer off the bench, was accessible in step with coach Jamahl Mosley nevertheless didn’t play.
“The choice actually is that it provides these different guys a possibility,” Mosley acknowledged. “As soon as we had been eradicated from that play-in place, you must have a look at now what we’ve talked about all 12 months lengthy: How can we assist these guys get higher? How can we assist them develop? How do they get alternatives to play their greatest basketball at the moment of the 12 months?”
The ultimate time Orlando accomplished a worthwhile home file was 2019-20. The Magic had an 18-17 home file by the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, along with 16-15 at Amway Middle after going 2-2 in “dwelling” video video games inside the league’s bubble at Disney World.
Jalen Suggs (22 elements, 5 rebounds and 4 assists), Caleb Houstan (8 elements), Chuma Okeke (2 elements, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals), Bol Bol (18 elements, 8 rebounds) and Moe Wagner (9 elements, 4 rebounds) started in opposition to the Cavaliers.
“They’re so deserving of it,” Mosley acknowledged of his reserves. “They’ve labored their tails off all 12 months. They’ve competed with these guys who’ve been in beginning lineups. They’ve began at instances. It’s a possibility for them to maintain getting higher, proceed to guage and like anyone who places that uniform on, they’re going to compete.”
The Magic obtained right here out firing offensively. Suggs made his first 5 images, along with 4 3-pointers, for 14 elements to offer Orlando a 23-13 lead midway by the first and a 42-33 lead on the end of the quarter.
However the scarcity of continuity that comes with having fun with non-rotation players confirmed itself inside the following two quarters.
The Maic had 22 turnovers for 26 Cleveland elements.
The Cavaliers (51-30), led by Danny Inexperienced’s 21 elements and a bench unit that scored 66, outscored the Magic 62-31 combined inside the second and third sooner than cruising to their third consecutive win.
Cleveland, which secured the No. 4 seed inside the Japanese Convention for the playoffs with the victory over Orlando on Tuesday, moreover sat most of its rotation.
Jarrett Allen (strained correct groin), Darius Garland (lower left leg contusion), Caris LeVert (correct knee soreness), Donovan Mitchell (sprained finger on left hand), Evan Mobley (rest), Isaac Okoro (sore left knee) and Dylan Windler (sprained left foot) didn’t play.
The Magic (34-46) will play the Brooklyn Nets (44-36) on Friday at Barclays Middle sooner than having fun with the season finale in opposition to the Warmth in Miami on Sunday.
This text first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. E-mail Khobi Worth at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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