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Josh Cohen

Paolo Banchero racked up 21 points, his 36th 20-plus-point performance this season, Franz Wagner also scored 21 to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists and Markelle Fultz had 12 points and 10 assists, but the Orlando Magic, despite rallying back from 16 down in the first half, came up a tad short in Sunday’s 111-105 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. 

Cole Anthony tied the game at 101 with a 3-pointer with 2:39 remaining. A few possessions later, Austin Reaves, who finished with a career-best 35 points, knocked down two out of three from the free throw line after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt. Then, following a Franz Wagner bucket, Reaves hit a pull-up jumper with 57.1 seconds left to give the Lakers the lead for good. Orlando missed their final five floor shots. Reaves scored L.A.’s last 10 points.

On a positive note, the Magic only committed eight turnovers, tied for their fewest this season. They also accumulated 52 points in the paint, 14 more than the Lakers. But again, a problem in most of their losses this season, the Magic struggled from beyond the arc, only making 10 of their 38 3-point attempts (26.3 percent).&nbsp;The Lakers took 15 more free throws than the Magic.

Jalen Suggs (concussion) and Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) were out for the Magic. LeBron James (right foot soreness) and Mo Bamba (left ankle sprain) were unavailable for the Lakers.&nbsp;

One of Tracy McGrady’s best performances in a Magic uniform took place on March 19, 2002, when he racked up 48 points and 12 rebounds in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Sam Cassell led the Bucks with 23 points, while Ray Allen scored 22.&nbsp;

So much is undetermined in the Western Conference with three weeks left in the regular season. The Lakers still feel like a dangerous team despite experiencing more lows than highs this season. Getting James back fully healthy is the most important thing right now for them. But if they can sneak into the playoffs – probably having to do that via the play-in tournament – they are a team that will be a tough out in a best-of-seven postseason series.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Magic will start a three-game homestand on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the Washington Wizards. This will be the third of four meetings this season between the Southeast Division rivals, with Washington currently holding a 2-0 series advantage. Kristaps Porzingis racked up 30 points and 13 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma scored 23 in the Wizards victory over the Magic on Dec. 30 at Amway Center. Then on Jan. 21 in the nation’s capital, Rui Hachimura, who was traded two days later to the Lakers, exploded for 30 points off the bench in Washington’s blowout win. Franz Wagner led Orlando in the first game with 28 points and Fultz had a team-high 23 in the second contest.&nbsp;

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Magic Hang Tough With Lakers But Fall Short to Complete West Coast Trip

ORLANDO - You can debate between Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the MVP honor all day and struggle to pick the winner because it’s such a tight race. You can have a Lauri Markkanen versus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander discussion for the MIP award and change your mind a thousand times. You can argue between Brook Lopez, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Evan Mobley for DPOY and end up doing some “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe” because, again, it’s another close contest. You might as well spin a wheel for this season’s Sixth Man of the Year, as there are numerous deserving candidates.

But when discussing the Rookie of the Year accolade, the conversation shouldn’t last very long.&nbsp;

Paolo Banchero, the 6-foot-10, 255-pound versatile forward for the Orlando Magic, should be your clear winner. No rebuttal from anyone should follow.&nbsp;

Sure, there are several other very good rookies – many who are currently playing their best basketball of the season. But none have been as good as Banchero from start to now.&nbsp;

Like in any other sport, statistics help measure success. Banchero dominates his peers from a numeric standpoint.&nbsp;

With 11 games remaining, he’s averaging 20.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Only five NBA rookies since 1973-74 averaged 20-plus points, six-plus rebounds, and three-plus assists. One of them was Michael Jordan, widely considered the G.O.A.T., with the others being Walter Davis, Larry Bird, Blake Griffin, and Luka Doncic.&nbsp;

From the jump, Banchero has been this year’s best rookie. He posted 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks in Orlando’s first regular season game of the year against the Detroit Pistons, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only No. 1 overall draft picks since 1969-70 to record 25-plus points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists in an NBA debut.&nbsp;

The opposing head coach that night, Dwane Casey, was impressed then and maybe even more impressed when his squad played the Magic a few months later.

“I&nbsp;like him. He’s going to be a monster in our league,” Casey said after the Magic versus Pistons game on Feb. 23 at Amway Center. “He’s going to be a problem. He’s going to be great for our league…I think it’s a great rookie class, with Banchero probably leading&nbsp;the pack&nbsp;right now.”

When the season began, Banchero was only 19 years old. Before turning 20, he had a game in which he tallied 33 points and 16 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings, who have turned out to be one of the best teams in the league this season. It was only the second time in NBA history a teenager recorded 30-plus points and 15-plus rebounds in a game. LeBron,&nbsp;at 18&nbsp;years, 334 days&nbsp;old, had 33 points&nbsp;and&nbsp;16&nbsp;rebounds&nbsp;on&nbsp;Nov. 29,&nbsp;2003&nbsp;during&nbsp;a&nbsp;122-115 double&nbsp;overtime&nbsp;loss&nbsp;against Memphis.

Less than two months later, Banchero went head-to-head against LeBron for the first time, and afterwards, the four-time NBA champion, four-time league MVP, and 19-time All-Star sang the Magic rookie’s praises.

“He has been exceptional,” James said. “Playing great ball. A three-level scorer so far in this league...in the paint, mid-range, and&nbsp;shooting the ball from the outside pretty well. He is just&nbsp;going to keep getting better and&nbsp;better.&nbsp;Every game he will get better and better. Every film session he will get better and better. All these experiences are really good for him on a day-to-day basis. They definitely got a really good one. He is a great&nbsp;kid too.&nbsp;They got a great one here&nbsp;in Orlando.”

So far, Banchero has either led the Magic in scoring or was tied for the team high in scoring 27 times, in rebounding 17 times, and in assists 13 times.&nbsp;

He has scored at least 20 points 35 times. Of all rookies, that’s by far and away the most. Bennedict Mathurin has done it 24 times, Jalen Williams 13 times, and Jaden Ivey 10 times.&nbsp;

Banchero joined Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Elvin Hayes, Dominique Wilkins and Grant Hill as the only players to score 20 points or more in each of their first six games.&nbsp;

Banchero also has five 30-plus-point games to this point. Mathurin is the only other rookie with more than one such performance, having done it twice so far.

Several times, he’s come up big in crunch time. One example was on Feb. 27 in New Orleans when he finished with 29 points and made three straight mid-range jumpers down the stretch to help the Magic outlast the Pelicans. 

“I thought he took on the challenge,” Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley said after that win. “His teammates trusted him. He and ‘Kelle (Markelle Fultz) had a moment where they understood the matchup they had and they kept going to it. Then obviously his willingness to make the pass at the right times. So again, him trusting his teammates and his teammates trusting him in those moments."

If the season ended today, Banchero would join Shaquille O’Neal as the only rookies in Magic history to average 20-plus points. Only 50 rookies in NBA history have accomplished this, with the most recent players being Zion Williamson, Doncic, Donovan Mitchell, Embiid and Griffin.&nbsp;

Well beyond the numbers, though, Banchero has helped change the culture in Orlando. The Magic have already won seven more games than last year and are 24-22 after starting this season 5-20.

He was named the Kia NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December, January, and February. He’s only the second player in Magic history to win the honor in three consecutive months, joining Shaq, who did it four straight times.

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There Are Several Reasons Why Paolo Banchero is the Clear-Cut Rookie of the Year, With the Stats Being One Of Them

Dan Savage

LOS ANGELES –&nbsp;Just one day after completing a season sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers, the Orlando Magic have a chance to earn a victory over another team in the same city.&nbsp;

The Magic (29-42) will attempt to close their four-game road trip out West with a win when they face the Los Angeles Lakers (34-37) in a Sunday night showdown at 9:30 p.m. ET. 

After tipping off their road swing with a disappointing loss in San Antonio, Orlando took the championship-contending Phoenix Suns down to the wire before ultimately coming up short, and then followed that up with a thrilling victory in L.A. &nbsp;

Now, the Magic look to continue to build on that momentum against a Lakers squad desperate for victories as L.A. attempts to climb up the Western Conference standings and remain in contention for a spot in the NBA’s play-in tournament.&nbsp;

“It was huge,” said Magic point guard Markelle Fultz of his team’s victory over the Clippers. “Especially because we had moments like this in the past where we didn’t close out&nbsp;and had a couple mistakes on our end that led to losses. But again, to put together a whole game, and weather their runs, and continue to push, and continue to stay together was big (on Saturday). Just shows what we’re capable of when we stay locked in the whole game.”&nbsp;

Fultz was a key factor in that victory as he erupted for a career-high 28 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists, and four steals. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft continues to make strides and flash the talent that made him such a coveted piece coming out of the University of Washington.&nbsp;

Over Orlando’s last five games, the 6-foot-4 guard is averaging 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from deep, and 90.0 percent from the free throw line.&nbsp;

“What you’re seeing from me is a guy that doesn’t take anything for granted (and) that’s going out there to try and do anything to help his team win,” said Fultz of his progress. “The sky is the limit. I feel like I have a high ceiling. I have so much room to grow. So, every day I’m just trying to get a little bit better. That’s what you’re seeing out there.”&nbsp;

Due to players being in and out of their lineup as well as moves made around the trade deadline, it’s hard to define the areas in which the Lakers consistently excel.&nbsp;

However, both recently and over the course of the season, they’ve hurt teams in transition, putting up 16.6 fast break points per game – fourth most in the NBA.&nbsp;

With LeBron James currently sidelined, L.A.’s offensive attack will be led by big man Anthony Davis, who’s averaging 26.1 points to go along with a league-leading 12.5 rebounds per game. &nbsp;

In his nine games since being acquired by the Lakers, guard D’Angelo Russell has certainly made an impact, averaging 17.9 points and 6.4 assists per contest.&nbsp;

IN AND OUT:&nbsp;Orlando's injury report is not yet submitted. However,&nbsp;Jalen Suggs (concussion) and Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) did not play against the Clippers on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For L.A., Davis (right foot; stress injury) is probable, while Mo Bamba (left ankle sprain), James (right foot soreness), Scotty Pippen Jr. (G League – Two-Way), and Cole Swider (G League – Two-Way) are out.&nbsp;

KEY STAT:&nbsp;During the month of March, the Magic are averaging 118.4 points per game. Orlando has scored 110-plus points in all nine games this month and 120-plus points on three of those occasions.&nbsp;

The highest scoring average during any month in team history is 116.8 points, set back in Nov. 1994.&nbsp;

QUOTE TO NOTE:&nbsp;“The great part about Franz (Wagner) is that his teammates trust him to step into that moment and make the big shots. And that’s how these guys have played all year when it comes to the trust factor of one another. Whoever takes that shot, they are supporting one another knowing they are capable of doing it because of the work that they put in.” – Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley on Franz Wagner, who hit a critical triple with 41.1 seconds left in Orlando’s win over the Clippers

HOW TO WATCH:&nbsp;Watch the game on Bally Sports Florida or tune in on radio via FM 96.9 The Game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Orlando Magic at Los Angeles Lakers: Game Preview

Markelle Fultz racked up a career-best 28 points, Wendell Carter Jr. recorded his 19th&nbsp;double-double of the season with 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Franz Wagner scored 20, as the Orlando Magic made seven of their final eight floor shots to pull off a 113-108 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Fultz knocked down four of those seven floor shots in the final 4 ½ minutes, including a driving layup with 29 seconds remaining that put Orlando up five. On the Magic prior’s possession, Franz Wagner drilled a step-back 3-pointer over Robert Covington. The other two Orlando field goals during this stretch were made by Carter – a 3-pointer and an alley-oop layup delivered to him from Fultz. The Magic outscored the Clippers 39-26 in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

Three-point defense was a big emphasis coming into the game for the Magic, and they delivered in that regard, as the Clippers knocked down just six of their 22 3-point tries (27.3 percent). Orlando also accumulated a season-high 14 steals and scored 23 points off L.A.’s 15 turnovers.&nbsp;

The Magic have now beaten the Clippers twice, the Warriors twice and the Celtics three times, and they notched victories over the Nuggets, 76ers, Suns, Mavericks, and Heat as well.&nbsp;

Jalen Suggs (concussion) and Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) were out for the Magic. Kawhi Leonard (right knee injury management), Norman Powell (shoulder) and Brandon Boston Jr. (tailbone) were unavailable for the Clippers.

“I think Markelle is a great leader out there. I think he is one of the more vocal guys, pushes the mentality of the group, and he’s just a super great two-way player. Some of those plays that he makes defensively, some of the stuff that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, and then on nights like (against the Suns), the way he’s scoring, making plays, rebounding, making all those hustle plays – I think it’s really hard finding players that make skill plays, but also make those hard, effort kind of plays as well.” – Franz Wagner on Fultz

One of Shaquille O’Neal’s most dominant performances of the 1993-94 season came on March 18 when he racked up 38 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, four steals and three blocks in a Magic victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Dennis Scott, who will be inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame next week, scored 28 points. Hot Rod Williams led the Cavs with 21 points.

Normally, you don’t have to look too far down the standings to figure out who has a legit chance to make the Finals. But in the West this year, that’s not the case. One could argue that there are seven or eight teams in the conference that could go on a deep playoff run. The Clippers are certainly one of them if Leonard and Paul George play at peak form in the postseason.&nbsp;

The Magic complete their four-game trip out West on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET when they clash with the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. won the first meeting at Amway Center on Dec. 27 behind 28 points from LeBron James and a 15-point, 13-rebound and 13-assist triple-double from Russell Westbrook, now a member of the Clippers after getting traded to and waived by the Jazz last month at the deadline. Fultz led Orlando with 16 points.

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Magic Heat Up Down the Stretch, Beat Clippers in Thriller

Markelle Fultz matched his season high with 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, Paolo Banchero scored 18 and Cole Anthony had 17, but despite rallying back from 12 down and having a chance to tie it on their final possession, the Orlando Magic dropped a 116-113 decision to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night at Footprint Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wendell Carter Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining in the fourth quarter to trim Orlando’s deficit to one. Chris Paul followed with a step-back jumper. After turnovers by each team, Fultz knocked down a pair of free throws for the Magic and former Magic player Terrence Ross did the same for the Suns. Then, on the final play, Josh Okogie blocked Banchero as he attempted a potential game-tying 3-pointer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turnovers and 3-point shooting were the biggest factors. Orlando coughed it up 19 times, which led to 17 Phoenix points. The Magic also made just eight of their 28 3-point attempts (28.6 percent). Orlando did manage to score 26 fast break points and 58 points in the paint.

“When I first got to Orlando, we had plenty of games where he would just come into the game and just hit three or four threes in a row. I don’t remember who we were playing against, but he started off the first half kind of slow and in the second half he just turnt up. I was like, ‘man, he’s one of those guys. He’s one of the best shooters in the league.’ It was just an honor to be on the same team as him.” – Carter on Ross, now a Sun after he was waived by the Magic last month

Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) was out for the Magic, while Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (right foot soreness) were unavailable for the Suns.&nbsp;

One of Dwight Howard’s most dominant regular season performances in a Magic uniform took place on March 16, 2011 when he racked up 31 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks in an overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Hedo Turkoglu scored eight of his 19 points in the extra session. Brandon Jennings, who briefly played for the Magic a few years later, led Milwaukee with 23 points.  

With how well Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson have been playing in Brooklyn and with Durant currently nursing an injury, you just wonder if the Suns made a mistake with that trade deadline deal. Obviously, KD is an all-time great and future Hall of Famer, but how much time does this core of KD, Paul and Devin Booker get to win a title? If KD is healthy in the playoffs, they’ll have a chance to win it this season. But remember, Durant will be 35 in September and Paul will be 38 in May.&nbsp;

The Magic will complete their trip out West with a pair of games in Los Angeles, first against the Clippers on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Orlando won the first meeting in an overtime thriller on Dec. 7 at Amway Center. That was the first of eight wins in nine games for the Magic in December. Banchero led Orlando with 23 points, including six from the free throw line in the final seven seconds of the extra session, while Moe Wagner and Bol Bol each scored 20 points.

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Magic Come Up Short in Narrow Loss to Suns

PHOENIX –&nbsp;As the Orlando Magic continue on their four-game road trip out West, they’re hoping to tighten up their perimeter defense.&nbsp;

The Magic struggled to defend the 3-point line against the Spurs on Tuesday – their first contest of the road swing – allowing San Antonio to knock down a franchise-record 22 triples. 

Unfortunately for Orlando, that task won’t get any easier as its next two opponents, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers, both rank top six in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage.&nbsp;

However, if the Magic (28-41) hope to make this road trip a successful one, they’ll need to limit the Suns (37-32) from outside the arc when the two teams go head-to-head on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.&nbsp;

“For us, defensively, limiting them to one shot and impacting all shots will be very important as they have great three-point shooters,” said Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. “Being able to take away a lot of their strengths is going to be very important (on Thursday) night.”&nbsp;

Like the Spurs, the Suns will challenge the Magic’s defensive rotations with high-end ball movement. Phoenix’s 27.1 assists per game rank fifth in the association and right ahead of San Antonio (27.0). &nbsp;

Suns point guard Chris Paul sets the tone in that regard as the 12-time NBA-All-Star racks up 9.1 assists per game, fifth most in the league.&nbsp;

Shooting guard Devin Booker provides the scoring punch. The three-time All-Star is currently putting up 27.8 points per game, a top-10 mark in the NBA. Booker is shooting 59.9 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from deep over his last seven games, scoring 30-plus points in six of those contests.&nbsp;

“We have to lock in,” said Magic point guard Markelle Fultz. “They’re going to do a lot of pick-and-roll. They have very talented players who can score, and they play well together.”&nbsp;

On the other end of the floor, Phoenix possesses a top-six defensive rating (112.1). They allow the sixth-fewest points in the paint (47.7) and eighth-fewest fast break points (12.8) in the league.&nbsp;

IN AND OUT:&nbsp;Gary Harris (right hip flexor soreness) is questionable, while Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) is out against the Suns.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For Phoenix, Torrey Craig (left heel soreness) is probable, while Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (right foot soreness) are out.&nbsp;

KEY STAT:&nbsp;The Magic will face Terrence Ross for the first time since he was waived by the franchise just over one month ago. Nicknamed the "Human Torch" while in Orlando for his ability to check in and instantly heat up and impact the game, Ross appeared in 349 career games with the Magic, averaging 12.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest. He ranks sixth on Orlando’s all-time 3-pointers made list with 697 of them.&nbsp;

QUOTES TO NOTE:&nbsp;“When I first got to Orlando, we had plenty of games where he would just come into the game and just hit three or four threes in a row. I don’t remember who we were playing against, but he started off the first half kind of slow and in the second half he just turnt up. I was like, ‘man, he’s one of those guys. He’s one of the best shooters in the league.’ It was just an honor to be on the same team as him.” – Carter on playing with Ross&nbsp;

“He had a lot of nice dunks (and) a few times hit incredible buzzer-beaters and shots. T-Ross just always came into work just having a great mind and bringing excitement to the gym.” – Fultz&nbsp;

HOW TO WATCH: Watch the game on Bally Sports Florida or tune in on radio via FM 96.9 The Game.

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Orlando Magic at Phoenix Suns: Game Preview

Paolo Banchero led seven Orlando players in double figures with 27 points, Wendell Carter Jr. recorded his 18th&nbsp;double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Cole Anthony scored 14, but the Orlando Magic had no answer for the hot-shooting San Antonio Spurs in Tuesday’s 132-114 loss at the AT&T Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Spurs knocked down a franchise-record 22 3-pointers. Their previous best was 20. This was the second time this season an opponent set a club record for most threes made in a game against the Magic. The Kings on Jan. 9 buried a team-record 23 3-pointers at home against Orlando.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Spurs built a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter with a 16-5 run. Devonte’ Graham, acquired by San Antonio from New Orleans at the trade deadline, started that flurry with a 3-pointer. Jeremy Sochan made two triples during that stretch and Devin Vassell hit one as well. San Antonio also outscored Orlando 20-8 to end the game. &nbsp;

“We were just late in a lot of our rotations. I think they did a great job just moving the ball, not being stagnant. We were always just a step behind on the defensive end. They were making everything, especially from three. When a team’s hot like that, it’s just hard to stop them. But at the same time, you got to try and do a better job of getting them out of rhythm at the start of the game, so they don’t let that carry over for the rest of the game. We weren’t able to do that.” - Banchero

Jonathan Isaac (left adductor surgery) was out for the Magic. Keldon Johnson (left foot soreness), Khem Birch (right knee; chondromalacia), Malaki Branham (right shoulder impingement), Tre Jones (illness), and Romeo Langford (left adductor soreness/injury management) were unavailable for the Spurs.&nbsp;

On March 14, 2018, Jonathon Simmons erupted for 35 points, D.J. Augustin exploded for 32, and Nikola Vucevic filled up the box score with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, as the Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 38 points for the Bucks, while Khris Middleton scored 22.&nbsp;

The Spurs have some young talent to be excited about. They’ll be adding a high draft pick to the mix this year as well. It’s still a little too early to know whether anyone on this current roster has the potential to be an All-Star level player down the road. The one that seems to have the highest ceiling, though, is Sochan, who’s gotten better and better as the season has gone on. He’s averaging just under 20 points since the All-Star break, which is a big deal because scoring is not considered his main strength.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Magic’s four-game trip out West continues Thursday when they visit the Phoenix Suns at 10 p.m. ET. The first meeting, which was played at Amway Center on Nov. 11, was won by the Magic. Carter led Orlando in that victory with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Bol Bol recorded 13 points and 15 rebounds. Orlando also made things tough on Devin Booker, who made just six of his 19 shots from the field.

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Magic’s Defense Flounders Against Spurs

Official Release

Alliance Will Create Unique Opportunities for Sports & Health Tech Startup Development, Establishing Orlando as World-Class Innovation Hub&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lake Nona and Orlando, Fla. - leAD Lake Nona (leAD/LN) and NBA franchise Orlando Magic today announced a multi-year partnership to drive innovation and build the future of the sports and health technology industries in the greater Orlando metropolitan area.&nbsp;

leAD/LN is a joint venture between leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners, a globally renowned sports and health tech investment platform, and Tavistock, an international private investment organization, and operates from Lake Nona, Orlando’s innovative living-lab community.&nbsp;The Orlando Magic and Magic Gaming will serve as an innovation partner to leAD/LN and enable the firm’s portfolio companies to test, learn, iterate, and scale their products and services. Additionally, leAD’s Lake Nona innovation hub is now officially designated as the “Home of Magic Gaming.” leAD/LN will serve as the host sponsor for the Orlando Magic gaming team by providing a location for them to train and compete, as well as access to living quarters above the hub.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’re thrilled to partner with leAD/LN and to support their work in establishing Orlando as a global technology hub,” said Magic Executive Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Jay Riola. “Innovation is one of our core values at the Magic. Through that value is our belief in the power of collaboration and creative thinking. With leAD’s unparalleled expertise in sports and health tech innovation this partnership will provide our organization and fans the ability to experience the latest developments in the tech space and will also offer our organization an even greater ability to propel innovation and emerging startups in Orlando.”&nbsp;

As part of the agreement, leAD/LN will share its expertise in sports and health technology innovation, deep knowledge base and intel, and access to its portfolio of companies whose focus is on evolving the space to directly impact athlete health and performance, and fan engagement. leAD/LN will also provide the organization with industry intelligence and act as a venture arm that supports the development of the Magic’s innovation initiatives.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are excited about the partnership with the Orlando Magic and to be able to leverage a testing ground for real time feedback that will drive new opportunities for innovation in Orlando,” said Christoph Sonnen, CEO and Co-Founder of leAD. “Our mission is to revolutionize the sports and health technology space through game-changing innovation, and we’re looking forward to working together with the Magic to accelerate the growth of the world-class tech hub that has culminated in Orlando.”&nbsp;

“Having professional eSports athletes living, training and competing as part of our living lab environment adds to the thriving sports and technology ecosystem that leAD/LN has created in Lake Nona,” said Juan F. Santos, Senior Vice President Innovation, Tavistock Group/Lake Nona.

leAD sources, funds, and drives growth of early-stage sports & health tech startups globally. The company operates from Lake Nona, FL supported by a community that serves as a catalyst for economic growth and opportunity for emerging startups. Encompassing 17 square miles in the City of Orlando, Lake Nona’s advanced infrastructure and commitment to collaboration have attracted visionary companies and startups from across the globe to join its living lab environment where cutting-edge ideas turn into realities. leAD boasts a repertoire of high caliber stakeholders -- investors, partners, and mentors -- with a wide range of expertise in sports and health, and its dedicated market intelligence team is highly tuned to the global trends, consumer needs, industry marketplace opportunities, and investor appetites.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Orlando Magic have a history of placing a priority on technology and innovation. Since 2010, the Magic have prioritized and leveraged data, analytics, and business intelligence to better understand its fans and use insights to enhance their enjoyment and improve business operations.&nbsp;In 2014, the Magic opened the first design thinking-based innovation lab in the NBA. The lab’s genesis came from the desire to create a safe place for new ideas and creativity after innovation was determined to be a core value of the team. In 2015, the team was the first in the NBA to adopt cutting-edge mobile technology allowing fans to utilize the Magic app to personalize their experience at Amway Center and over the past two years the team has hosted the Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge, a multi-day event where developers, students, marketers, startup enthusiasts, graphic artists and sports business professionals have the opportunity to pitch new, innovative ideas and hear from some of the top minds in the sports technology field.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In addition, the Magic have placed an emphasis on basketball analytics for things including player acquisitions, lineup rotations and training decisions, along with a growing list of more strategic basketball decisions. The team continues to operationalize analytics on both sides of the ball, striving to improve team performance by analyzing game data in real time and reinventing the fan experience by implementing data-driven technologies.&nbsp;

Orlando's NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic's mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. Under the DeVos family’s ownership, the Magic have seen great success in a relatively short history, winning six division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019) with seven 50-plus win seasons and capturing the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more than $27 million to local nonprofit community organizations over the last 32 years. The Magic’s other entities include the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the 2021 G League champion Lakeland Magic, which began play in the 2017-18 season in nearby Lakeland, Fla.; the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, which serves as the affiliate to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning; and Magic Gaming, of the NBA 2K League, which began play in the spring of 2018. The Magic play their home games at the award-winning Amway Center, honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and named&nbsp;SportsBusiness Journal's&nbsp;2012 Sports Facility of the Year. For ticket information log on to&nbsp;OrlandoMagic.com&nbsp;or call 407-89-MAGIC.&nbsp;

leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners sources, funds, and drives growth of early-stage sports & health tech startups globally. Since its inception in 2016, leAD has taken on new companies into its business every year across the verticals of fan engagement, connected athletes, and health & well-being. leAD/LN, a joint venture between leAD and Tavistock, invests in early-stage startups in sports & health tech. For more information, visit:&nbsp;www.leadsports.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Planned and developed by the Tavistock Group, Lake Nona is one of the fastest-growing and most innovative communities in America. Located in Orlando, Florida, the 17-square-mile community has established a new standard of living for its residents with groundbreaking initiatives around technology, mobility, and wellbeing. Lake Nona is located contiguous to Orlando International Airport in the most visited destination in the U.S. The smart and connected community’s advanced infrastructure and commitment to collaboration has drawn visionary companies and entrepreneurs from across the globe to join its living lab environment accelerating economic growth and opportunity across health and life sciences, education, hospitality, and sports and performance. Lake Nona’s attractive business ecosystem is enhanced by a thriving cultural landscape defined by iconic architecture and engaging public art installations, miles of trails and walkable green spaces, weekly signature events, shopping, dining and entertainment options set amongst Central Florida’s beautiful natural landscape and year-round sunshine. For more information, visit&nbsp;www.lakenona.com 

orlando-magic-announces-innovation-partnership-with-lead-lake-nona-2-20230314

Orlando Magic Announces Innovation Partnership With Lead Lake Nona

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We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, the NBA has announced that the Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, November 9 will tip-off at 5:30 PM. Amway Center doors open at 4:30 PM.