Orlando, FL – The Orlando Magic have been struggling lately, decimated by injuries to their core players, but the show must go on.
And go on it did, with a 105-92 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Trying to push through without starting point guard Jalen Suggs (back spasms), Orlando was forced to dig deep into their bench for production. Severely shorthanded with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris, and Suggs unavailable, Orlando turned to their young bucks, starting Caleb Houstan, Tristen Da Silva, Goga Bitadze, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony.
From the bench, Jonathan Isaac, Cory Joseph, Jett Howard, and others provided support. Jett Howard led all scorers for the Magic with 21 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 15 points from the bench. Cole Anthony led all starters with 12 points and was the only player to score in double digits.
Utah, also missing key players like Jordan Clarkson and Jason Collins, among others, got off to a good start. Orlando outscored Utah 25-22 in the first quarter, but the Jazz managed to tie the game at 43 by halftime.
Keeping with the recent emphasis by Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley, Orlando took care of the ball with only 4 turnovers in the first half. However, the scoring was not consistent throughout the game. No one on the roster scored over 10 points in the first half.
Utah outscored the Magic in the third and fourth quarters to take the game, led by Orlando-raised Brice Sensabaugh. The former Lake Highland Prep star erupted for 27 points off the bench to lead the Jazz to a 105-92 victory over the Magic at the Amway Center.
The Jazz dominated in the paint, outbattling the Magic 52-36 for rebounds. At one point in the game, Utah had built a 20-point lead, and although the Magic managed to battle back, they lacked the firepower to complete the comeback.
The Magic never found a rhythm, shooting 35.7% from the field overall and 29.8% from 3-point range. They also didn’t attempt a single free throw in the first half and took just 13 for the game.
“That’s not a reason, that’s not an excuse,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of both teams playing shorthanded. “You just have to go out and play the right way. I think that’s a big portion of it. Regardless of who’s in the game, who’s not in the game, you have to continue to play the right way – sharing it, moving it, trusting it, defending the right way, not falling into the game of what they are doing and how they are doing it. We just have to sit down and guard the way we know how and keep trusting the pass more.”
Collin Sexton finished with 20 points for Utah, which outscored Orlando 52-36 in the paint. Walker Kessler posted 10 points and 17 rebounds.
Tied at halftime, the Jazz outscored the Magic by 13 points over the final two quarters.
While Harris was ruled out before the game, Moe Wagner was said to be available. Wagner missed the last three games with a low back contusion.
“I think being able to get him in the right way is going to be very important,” Mosley said of the decision to not play him. “I think tomorrow will be something we will have to look at. Just throwing him out there in a game like this as it was as the first day of him being made available, I think we are going to have to look at some more pregame reps to be able to look at it the right way.”
The Magic travel to New York today to face the New York Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden at 7:30 pm
