ORLANDO, Fla. — For the initial time in 4 years, the Orlando Magic will be competing in the NBA playoffs right after clinching the fifth seed in the Jap Meeting on Sunday.
All-Star Paolo Banchero made 26 points, 11 rebounds and 7 helps, Franz Wagner had 25 factors and five assists and Cole Anthony additional 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 helps off the bench to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-88 at Kia Middle.
The Magic confronted a Bucks workforce without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and didn’t make items simple for them selves to start the video game. They trailed for most of the first half and were down by 11 details all-around the halfway mark of the next quarter.
The staff then reeled off a dominant stretch.
Orlando ended the quarter on a 19-3 operate and held Milwaukee without a industry target about the final 7 minutes, 15 seconds of the to start with half. The Magic carried a five-stage direct into halftime and never ever trailed yet again.
“I’m so happy of them,” Magic head mentor Jamahl Mosley mentioned. “There are not genuinely a large amount of phrases for it. You communicate about a team who has been up and down, battled back and (has been) resilient. We say all of the cliche text that we want, but they showed it and proved it. They took it into their own fingers and performed collectively and the appropriate way.”
The Magic snapped a three-game shedding streak with the victory about the Bucks, who have been led by Khris Middleton (17 points), Bobby Portis (17 details, 10 rebounds) and Damian Lillard (16 details). The staff had prior opportunities to clinch a place in the playoffs but was unsuccessful in its prior a few games, coming into engage in on Sunday.
The team could have completed anywhere from fifth to eighth in the standings, with various probable results and scenarios to emerge from the previous working day of the frequent period. In the stop, while, the workforce realized a win would be plenty of to secure a location in the playoffs and avoid the perform-in tournament.
“We seemed at this as a do-or-die activity,” Wagner mentioned. “Most guys haven’t been to the playoffs, most men ended up on the 20-acquire year, so I assume it suggests a ton to everyone, the coaching team who came in a few yrs in the past. I think it indicates a lot to the whole group. I assume it is superior to take pleasure in this these days but also to know that we don’t just want to make the playoffs.”
The accomplishment wasn’t a surprise to them.
“I think we all expected it following last 12 months,” Banchero explained. “We felt like we have been great sufficient to make that leap to future 12 months. It was a workforce-vast expectation and we’re sitting in this article now. We’re all proud.”
Cole Anthony with an all-time description of the atmosphere in the Kia Heart today: pic.twitter.com/gluaSN50Gx
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) April 14, 2024
Mosley became the 15th head mentor of the Magic on July 11, 2021. The crew went 22-60 in his to start with period on the bench and 34-48 the next season. The workforce additional foundational parts in Banchero, Wagner and Jalen Suggs to a core that involved Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr. and many others to established up a competitive roster this yr.
Anticipations all over the staff started to improve, as lots of within the locker area understood what they could carry out right after a period of time of enhancement and growth. That progress resulted in a closing record of 47-35 this period, a 25-recreation advancement from Mosley’s to start with period with the workforce and their most wins given that the 2010-11 period (52).
The celebration started out as soon as the staff strike the locker room.
“Mose received flooded with water bottles,” Anthony claimed. “A person threw a bucket at him nearly damn close to. It was superior vibes, (and) constructive energy. That’s what we on.”
Explained Suggs: “I can’t end smiling. I don’t consider I have stopped smiling considering the fact that about the 6-minute mark when they took everybody out and understood that was it. I haven’t stopped smiling. I’m just so satisfied. It just feels so satisfying. Not a large amount of people experienced us in this situation, but the perception that all of us experienced in one particular another in the course of action, to see it all occur to fruition and arrive total circle to in which we get to enjoy this minute, we’ve gained it.”
US ON Three
go within the locker space pic.twitter.com/N7r5SThmiJ
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) April 14, 2024
The Magic will now transform their consideration to the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first spherical of the playoffs. It marks the next time the two teams have satisfied in the postseason, with the Magic winning in 2009 en route to the NBA Finals.
The two groups break up their time series, 2-2, with just about every profitable at the time at residence and on the road. The series will commence on Saturday or Sunday in Cleveland, giving each team the much better element of the 7 days to enjoy film and get ready for the collection.
Orlando will be all set for the challenge.
“They’re a gifted workforce from issue guard to middle to the fellas that occur off the bench,” Carter stated. “I believe it is likely to be a actually great test for us, the to start with playoff video game for me, personally, and then us as a workforce. I imagine we’ll be fantastic.”
Contents
Additional Orlando Magic!
2024 NBA Playoffs: Clinching situations and up to date standings for April 14
Possible first-round pick Johnny Furphy named to Australia's Olympics schooling camp roster
Previous Arkansas standouts Anthony Black, Nick Smith Jr. swap jerseys after NBA conference
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