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.
What the Orlando Magic learned from the NBA Cup
Nov 15, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck/Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Orlando Magic walked off the floor at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee disappointed but proud.
The NBA Cup was just out of their reach once again. Losing 114-109 to the Bucks on a Damian Lillard three and layup in the final minute was a bitter pill. It was a tough loss regardless of the NBA Cup stakes.
This new competition is still getting settled into the NBA psyche. Some players took the loss as just a loss. Something that happens in the regular season. Others took it harder. There was a missed opportunity to score a quality road win.
In the end, falling short of heading to Vegas in the NBA Cup does not affect the Magic’s playoff hopes – other than drawing the Bucks one game closer in this instance. Orlando’s regular season marches on Sunday against the New York Knicks. In a few weeks, the NBA Cup will only serve only as an early season distraction.
Still, it was a lesson. The games had stakes if the teams wanted them. And the NBA Cup was important to the Magic. Like it was last year, Orlando wanted to do well. The team saw it as a chance to grow and gain experience in meaningful games.
The Magic used it last year as a launching pad for their playoff push. They gained confidence from the experience of going 3-1 and falling just short of the wild card thanks to a 30-plus-point victory by the Boston Celtics on the final day.
They wanted it again. Whether this proves to be a confidence builder will be revealed in time. But now that the Magic are out of the tournament, what did they learn? Some thoughts:
1. The Magic still must prove themselves
If there is a big criticism for the Orlando Magic’s 17-10 record so far, it is that it is devoid of quality wins. Orlando is 4-7 against teams with records above .500 – two against the Phoenix Suns, one against the Los Angeles Lakers and one against the Miami Heat.
East Group A ended up not being the tall task it looked like in the summer. The Philadelphia 76ers are not the contending team everyone thought they were.
And so, in this tournament, Orlando lost the two games against winning records. And that loss at the New York Knicks, a 121-106 defeat that saw the Magic trail by as much as 37 points and flirt with not advancing, was jarring.
Orlando still needs to prove itself against quality teams. The Magic still need to win these games – whether under pressure and facing stakes or not.
2. The Magic are serious about competing
Despite the disappointing losses to the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks on the road, the Orlando Magic still proved they are serious about winning. The way they took care of their business against the Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers spoke to the seriousness and maturity of their approach to these games.
Orlando lamented giving up a 20-point loss to the Nets in the team’s first NBA Cup game last year. The team looked back at that game as an example of the maturity they needed.
Wiping the floor with the Hornets for a 25-point win set them up to earn the wild card and advance to the quarterfinals. It set the tone for what they could do.
But what worked about those first three games was the Magic took care of business. They defended at a high level and used that to launch themselves on offense.
Orlando has established its way to win and it all starts on defense. It is no surprise the Magic leaned on that. They had to win with three very different offensive showings. But the defense remained consistent. And that got them moving in the right direction during this important time.
3. Jalen Suggs lives for the moment
Jalen Suggs was feeling the lows of the loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. His postgame press conference barely rose above a whisper after the loss in the quarterfinal. He missed two shots down the stretch that kept the Magic from keeping up and advancing.
But as much as the attention was rightfully on Franz Wagner for how he developed throughout the NBA Cup games, Suggs also emerged as a clutch player.
Suggs averaged 18.8 points per game, with 5.2 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. His individual games were spotty in isolation. But he had a lot of big moments.
He hit a critical three-point to ice the game against the Philadelphia 76ers, helping Orlando pull away in the fourth quarter for a 12-point win. And then he scored 18 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to give the Magic a chance to upset the Bucks.
Suggs has always been a big-time fourth-quarter performer. And while he laments some misses late in games, he is still a great fourth-quarter player – his 4.6 points per game in the fourth quarter of games is second on the team behind Franz Wagner and it jumped to 7.0 points per game in the NBA Cup games thanks to 18 in the fourth against Milwaukee and 11 in the fourth against Philadelphia.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in action against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis/Brett Davis-Imagn Images
I was going to write about the NBA Cup semi-finals today but Milwaukee head coach, Doc Rivers, beat me to it by putting it all pretty succinctly with this:
“I mean, we’re gonna bring our wheelchairs to the cup because we have these three young teams. You know, everybody’s — Atlanta is young, Oklahoma is young, Houston is young. Then here comes the old Milwaukee Bucks, wheeling in. That’s what we are gonna be. We’re gonna just wheel in our wheelchairs and come in on our canes and see if we can just play some basketball. That’s what we are gonna do.”
So instead, let’s talk about superstars and trades. Not because any are going to be traded, but because the allure of the possibility of people like LeBron James and Jimmy Butler — people who create their own gravity — has once again hit peak saturation in NBA discourse.
The Heat floated the idea of a Butler trade, either directly or indirectly, and speculation over which team would make a ready destination followed suit. These things tend to go like dominoes — one of Butler’s favourite pastimes — but in terms of veracity, look no further than Butler’s own agent quashing the speculation. Yes, things have read as weirdly remiss in Miami, especially involving Butler, going back to team president Pat Riley’s end of season press conference. In it, Riley seemed to suggest the Heat were behind Butler so long as he was behind them. It’s a statement that should be self-evident, which is why it’s worth taking a second look at.
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
Must Read The best defense in the NBA is 4,500 screaming maniacs, or how the Clippers built the best home court advantage. (WSJ)
Analysis Even the Wizards are surprised they’re losing like this. (The Athletic)
Rumor NBA trade intel on Lakers, Pelicans, Warriors, Heat, Hawks and more from two ESPN insiders.
Award Did you know? PrizePicks is the best place to cash in on your sports knowledge. All you have to do is correctly pick More or Less on a couple of player’s stats and then watch the money roll in. Prove your knowledge on PrizePicks.*
Preview Orlando Magic will host the New York Knicks on December 15, following their NBA Cup elimination. Stay tuned for an exciting matchup. (Sports Illustrated)
Analysis In-depth insights on the Orlando Magic’s performance in the NBA Cup and upcoming games. Key players like Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are analyzed. (Orlando Sentinel)
Ranking Check out the latest NBA power rankings and see where the Orlando Magic stand as the NBA Cup reaches its semifinals. (Bleacher Report)
Rumor Explore potential trade ideas that could impact the league, including new deals for the Orlando Magic. (Bleacher Report)
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Fantasy Cheat Sheet
What To Do With Portland’s Centers In Fantasy Basketball
Nov 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) handles the ball against Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr (10) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams/Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Portland’s Center Conundrum
Portland is currently a hotbed of uncertainty, especially concerning their center position. With Deandre Ayton battling an illness and Robert Williams III and Donovan Clingan both questionable due to injuries, fantasy managers are left in a bind. The likelihood of all three playing is slim, making it a gamble to stream any of them. If you’re considering adding Williams or Clingan to your roster, be prepared for a potential last-minute change. This situation highlights the importance of staying updated with player statuses, especially when dealing with teams like Portland, which can be notoriously unpredictable.
Injury Updates and Player Performances
Injuries are an inevitable part of the NBA season, and they can significantly impact fantasy lineups. Stephon Castle’s unexpected absence due to a shoulder issue has opened up opportunities for other players. Devin Vassell might see increased minutes, and if he starts, it could be challenging to move him back to the bench. Meanwhile, Zach Collins’ absence in San Antonio means Charles Bassey could be a valuable stream option for those needing a big man.
The Utah Jazz are also dealing with injury woes, with Lauri Markkanen managing a lower back issue and Jordan Clarkson’s status remaining questionable. Markkanen’s potential absence could lead to increased roles for players like Johnny Juzang or Micah Potter, but the situation remains fluid. Fantasy managers should be cautious and consider steering clear of the Jazz’s lineup until there’s more clarity.
In Los Angeles, LeBron James is officially out with a foot injury, which could mean more opportunities for Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht. Nikola Vucevic’s illness adds another layer of complexity, and if he’s out, Jalen Smith becomes a viable streaming option.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Magic podcasts.
Jalen Suggs in the spotlight: A new star in the making? Jalen Suggs has been thrust into the spotlight with the injuries to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as the team asks him to take on the role of star player for the Orlando Magic. He has ridden the ups and downs of that so far, rising to the challenge on many occasions but feeling the weight of that responsibility after the Magic’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
How Orlando Magic Can Learn from Bucks Defeat The Orlando Magic showed resilience and their identity in an NBA Cup loss against the Milwaukee Bucks. In their second game since Franz Wagner’s injury, the Magic again showed their resolve and that they will not be a pushover. More than that, they showed they can win.
Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks: NBA Cup Quarterfinals at a crossroads The Orlando Magic hoped to enter the NBA Cup knockout rounds with a healthy roster. But with the injury to Franz Wagner, their quarterfinal game against the Milwaukee Bucks comes at a time where the team is at a crossroads trying to rediscover how they will play.
