ORLANDO, FL – The Orlando Magic continued their “learning trend process” with a 123-88 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Chicago, who retooled during the offseason, brought former Magic favorite Nikole Vucevic to Orlando.
The story for the Magic was Wendell Carter Jr, and pretty much that’s it.
Carter scored 26 points, had 10 rebounds and went 8 for 17 in shooting. He was aggressive against his old team, maybe giving them a little taste of what they gave up with the Vucevic trade.
As for the rest of the Magic, it was a long night.
The grit and gusto of rookie Franz Wagner looks like it will be a regular thing, maybe justifying his being the 8th pick for the Magic the last NBA Draft.
Wagner scored a respectable 15 points, with 4 assists, and rebounds. Jalen Suggs continues to steady as the season reaches its 20th game.
With Cole Anthony still nursing a sprained ankle, point guard duties fell to Jalen. Tonight he scored 14 points with assists and 4 turnovers and is getting better with each game in his on court decisions.
Chicago is pretty loaded. They added not only Vucevic, but signed DeMar DeRozen, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso to help out Zach LaVine and rising threat Coby White.
DeRozen scored a team high 23 points with a hot fourth quarter, followed by Zach Lavine with 21 points and 20 from White.
Orlando helped Chicago out with 15 turnovers leading to 22 points for the Bulls.
The Vucevic return was celebrated, as you would expect. during the break after the end of the first quarter, Orlando played a tribute video for Vooch, who gave his usual understated wave from the Chicago bench and touching his heart.
“The Process”, the slogan for this season, kind of like the “Heart and Hustle ” of the past. It lets everyone know that this is a growth period for Orlando, rebuilding from a playoff team to a young and talented core.
Orlando is 4-16, with only the Houston Rockets having a worst record.
The team is still totally in with new Head Coach Jamal Mosely, and know that they are working to figure out the basics to winning, consistency, timing, and taking care of the ball.
They managed to win four games, including tow wins against the New York Knicks, at home and in New York.
“Turnovers are killing us” Said Magic Head Coach Jamal Mosely. “and that’s what they know and need to understand. We’ve gotta stop beating ourselves. Once we do that, we’ll do better.”
Chicago went on a 16-0 run on the Magic in the second quarter.
“I look at these games as an opportunity to teach” Said Mosely ” It’s an opportunity to grow, because if these guys look at it as easy, then where is the growth? Where is the Learning? They have to keep going though situations to understand what it rally means to talk about the extra work we need to put in. They’re going to get hit, but they’re understanding more and more the things we need to do to get better each and every game. ”
Cole Anthony was called for a technical foul after yelling at the ref on a RJ Hampton fouled. Mosely immediately went to Anthony, stressed that he’s in charge of talking to the refs and that they are to do what it takes on the floor, that’s it.
Orlando head to Cleveland for a game Saturday night against the Cavaliers on Saturday nihgt, then to Philadelphia to face the 76ers on Monday. They return home on December 1st to face the Denver Nuggets.
