Philip Rossman-Reich here, the host of the daily Locked On Magic podcast, with your daily Locked On Magic newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Magic and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Cole Anthony delivers as the next man up
Nov 25, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) looks to pass as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe/Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
Cole Anthony wears his emotions on his sleeve. That is part of his appeal and part of why he is a beloved player on the Orlando Magic’s roster.
He is all about his teammates and pumping them up. He celebrates every win in the loudest possible way. His postgame news conferences are legendary.
This year has been a difficult one for him. His shot betrayed him. The Magic seemingly moved on from him. He fell out of the rotation. His frustration was written all over his face even if he understood the reasons and got the answer straight up from his coach when that decision was made.
This is the NBA though. Eighty-two games is a long time. A team will need everyone on their roster at some point. The injury bug hits everyone. And Anthony knows as well as anyone he has to be ready.
The wheel spun toward Anthony again Monday. Jalen Suggs was out with a strained hamstring suffered in the first half of Saturday’s win. Gary Harris left in the first quarter with a strained hamstring of his own. Orlando needed Anthony to step up.
Especially considering the Magic could not hit a shot for the first three quarters of their 95-84 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Relief is probably not the right word. But it certainly felt like it from the moment Anthony stepped on the floor. With a clear role to finish this game, Anthony looked like himself again.
He scored 16 points off the bench on 6-for-12 shooting and 2-for-4 shooting from three. He had a team-high eight rebounds and four assists against one turnover.
“It’s cool man. I put a lot of work in,” Anthony said. “When stuff doesn’t go your way, it’s hard to cope with that. I do what I can to stay ready. By the Lord’s blessing, shots fell tonight. I would love to do it again.”
It was by far the best game of his frustrating season. And every point felt necessary considering the team’s offensive struggles. It was Anthony’s three-pointer in the fourth quarter that sparked the team’s run to take the lead. He was the one who finally got the lid off the basket.
It was a relief for him too.
Anthony entered the game averaging just 3.8 points per game and shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 23.1 percent from three. If offense was his most reliable skill, he has struggled to keep it up. It is why he fell out of favor.
But everyone will be called upon at some point in the season. It is on them to be ready. And Anthony was ready Monday night.
“He’s a professional,” Jonathan Isaac said. “Sometimes it’s just not your night. and sometimes you don’t have the opportunity for it to be your night. He’s kept his head down and waited for the opportunity. It happened to be this game. He’s a big reason why we won this game”
Every team will say the cliché: “next man up” at some point during the season. They will ask players to step into the rotation when players inevitably miss games due to injury. The best teams find a way to survive. Their bench players step up when their number is called.
Anthony’s number was called and he stepped up when the team needed him.
The question will be how long he has to wait for the next opportunity.
Giannis Antetokounmpo improves on greatness, again
Giannis, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez lead the way for the Bucks in 2024
Our modern relationship with the concept of greatness is a strange thing. Certainly in NBA basketball, but even more broadly, we like to hold greatness up to its lack. Less readily do we accept greatness at face value, or allow for greatness to simply stand on its own. It needs a backdrop of failure, and maybe because of that, it is failure we’ve become better at discussing. When greatness persists, or proves to have staying power, it feels almost dull. We want greatness to come with persistent conflict, and we want our greats to prove it, again and again.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a prime modern example.
Over the weekend, Antetokounmpo made history. He became the NBA athlete to record the most 30-point games in a decade, beating out the obvious candidates of Steph Curry and LeBron James. That’s over 262 games with 30-plus-points. So far this season, he’s been averaging 32.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, and shooting field goals at a 60.8% accurate clip. These numbers are staggering and yet, at a glance around discussion on the season, you’d think they were hum-drum.
Truth be told, conversation about the Bucks and Antetokounmpo seemed more engaged when both struggled early in the season. Those favourite, swirling questions of will-he-or-won’t-he be traded, or force a trade, rose with aplomb. A championship calibre team doing badly is always news, sure, but when its championship calibre superstar pushes through the struggles to virtually carry the team, we tend to turn our attention elsewhere.
Maybe it’s because the thing that’s given Antetokounmpo another gear this season — rediscovering the mid-range — is a part of the floor not as exciting as the three-point range teams like the Celtics are bombing from, but the bump has been drastic. Last season Antetokounmpo shot 35.1% from the mid-range and thus far this season he’s converting 47.8% of his mid-range attempts (of which he’s doubled, 2.4 to 4.3).
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Preview Emirates NBA Cup play continues this week — here’s what lies ahead for all teams. (NBA)
Roster Before the 2025 NBA Draft, get familiar with 10 international prospects. (ESPN)
Preview The Magic’s upcoming stretch includes games against the New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas Mavericks. This preview covers key factors and player performances to watch. (Orlando Sentinel)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s Fantasy Basketball Recap - Hamstrings Strike In Orlando
Nov 23, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters/Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action brought a whirlwind of performances, injuries, and strategic moves that could significantly impact your fantasy basketball lineup. Here are the major takeaways from the day, focusing on what’s most relevant for fantasy managers.
Injury Updates and Player Returns
- Devin Vassell is expected back on Wednesday, which is great news for those who have been patient with his knee issues. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson is out for Utah, creating opportunities for players like Colin Sexton and Isaiah Collier to step up. Keep an eye on Johnny Juzang as a potential deep-league add.
- Gary Harris suffered a hamstring injury, which could open up more minutes for Cole Anthony and Anthony Black. With Jalen Suggs also dealing with a hamstring issue, these players could see increased roles.
Waiver Wire Trends
- Moussa Diabate has become a hot commodity following Grant Williams’ injury. While Diabate’s scoring is limited, his defensive stats make him a valuable short-term add.
- Malcolm Brogdon is worth considering for streaming, though his long-term value remains uncertain. Similarly, Ty Jerome had a standout performance, but his shooting percentages are unlikely to be sustainable.
- Naji Marshall and T.J. McConnell are sensible additions given the current absences in their respective teams. McConnell, in particular, could provide solid assists and steals with several key players out.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Magic podcasts.
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