PHILADELPHIA – Pick-up game work over the summer taught Orlando Magic rookie Mohamed Bamba that Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is an incredibly skilled and powerful player.
One lesson that Bamba apparently didn’t learn in those pick-up games while facing a player he hopes to eventually pattern his game after was that rookies rarely get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to foul calls in NBA games.
Forced to almost single-handedly try and slow down a center 39 pounds heavier and much more experienced than him, Bamba picked up four first-half fouls in his NBA debut on Monday night. Despite the early foul trouble, the highlights were still aplenty for the 7-foot first-round pick in Orlando’s 120-114 loss to Embiid and the 76ers on Monday in Philadelphia.
``I think some of them weren’t fouls, but part of that just comes with experience,’’ said Bamba, who was often left one-on-one against Embiid as Orlando purposefully kept its defense very basic. ``Joel was literally teaching me in the summer, telling me, `Listen, this is literally what I’m going to do. You’re going to put your hand out and I’m going to (swipe through),’ but I didn’t get called on that because I learned my lesson with that. But he was just telling me they are going to call certain fouls on you and this is what you need to do to combat that. I tried, but I’m a rookie getting tough love. Give it about a month with that physical defense and I think they will realize that it’s legal defense.’’
Bamba, Orlando’s prized No. 6 pick in last June’s draft, had 12 points, three rebounds and two made 3-pointers in his NBA preseason debut. He was limited to just 17 minutes partly because of the foul trouble, but he did not let that deter him and he even converted an impressive dunk over Embiid – his summer-time workout partner – in the second quarter. He also showed off his shooting skills by confidently drilling a 3-point shot in each half.
``I winked at (Embiid), I winked at him, and I should have told him, `Welcome to the league,’’’ joked Bamba, referring to the infamous video that Embiid posted on social media channels earlier in the summer after he dunked over Bamba. ``(Embiid), (Markelle) Fultz and (Ben) Simmons, for some reason, were trying to bully me, but little did they know that I like talking smack back.’’
One negative for the Magic (0-1) came when second-year forward Jonathan Isaac sprained his right ankle 30 seconds into the second quarter and after just nine minutes of action. Isaac, the No. 6 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, was limited to just 27 games as a rookie because of various ankle injuries.
Isaac, who did not return to the bench area following the injury, started the night in impressive fashion by blocking a Dario Saric 3-pointer and running out to chase down an Aaron Gordon outlet pass for a dunk that was Orlando’s first points of the night. However, his ankle issues returned in the second quarter when he accidentally stepped on Saric’s foot and he will get further testing done in the coming days to determine the severity of the injury.
``I don’t think it was bad-bad, but we have no idea (as to the severity),’’ Magic coach Steve Clifford said. ``We’ll know (on Tuesday).’’
Two long-time Magic veterans, Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier, was at the opposite ends of the spectrum on Monday. Vucevic, Orlando’s longest-tenured player, led the Magic with 20 points by making nine of 17 shots in 23 minutes. Fournier missed 10 of his 11 shots and six of seven 3-point tries and scored just three points in 22 minutes.
Aaron Gordon, who inked a multi-year deal with the Magic in the offseason, did a lot of things well while contributing 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. Point guard D.J. Augustin had 12 points, six rebounds and three 3-pointers.
``We’ve got a lot to learn – players, coaches and defensively it’s a new scheme for us,’’ Gordon said. ``I think we turned the ball over too much, especially on my part with three turnovers being too many. And fouling – you do those things you are going to lose the game.’’
Terrence Ross, who was on a minutes restriction on Monday because of a minor toe injury, scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers. Isaiah Briscoe, who was signed following some stellar Summer League play, played well in the fourth quarter and chipped in 11 points.
The Magic will spend the next three days practicing, including holding an open practice session for fans on Tuesday (6 p.m.) at the Amway Center. Orlando plays next on Friday when it hosts Brazilian professional powerhouse Flamengo at the Amway Center.
Embiid finished with 21 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes to lead the Sixers, who were scheduled to depart after the game for China where they will face the Dallas Mavericks for two games.
Philadelphia coach Brett Brown had the night’s most glowing praise of Bamba, raving about the physical and mental gifts that the Orlando big man possesses. Brown met Bamba last May in the pre-draft process and he’s said he’s continued to be impressed by the maturity and smarts of the Magic big man.
``Two things come to mind. When I saw him, I was just blown away at this length,’’ Brown said. ``And when you look at him, he looked so young, he had an incredibly wholesome glow to him and a young face. And physically, wow!
``So, that was my initial reaction to him for, you know, two weeks there (before the NBA Draft),’’ Brown continued. ``Then, all of a sudden I heard him interviewed and I couldn’t connect the voice to the person. I wasn’t expecting the intelligence, the sophistication and the knowledge. That package just caught me way off guard. It sure seems like he’s going to have a heck of a future because he has the foundation intellectually and his skill package to make a statement in this league. At what point, I don’t know, but it sure looks like he has a foundation to do something.’’
Orlando trailed 60-49 largely because of the wrecking-ball manner in which Embiid played early in the night. Not only did he have 18 points and six rebounds in the opening half, he played a major role in Bamba’s foul trouble by repeatedly attacking him in the lane to draw contact. Bamba’s second and third fouls came seconds apart in the second quarter and Embiid played through the contact for a basket on the second foul.
Orlando opened the game by missing seven of its first eight shots, but it got going midway through the first quarter thanks to the all-around play of Gordon. He used a nifty spin move on the fast break to create space and set up Vucevic for a layup with a pass. Seconds later, Gordon had a thunderous slam. The forward was at his do-everything best early in the game with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot in the first half.
Bamba drilled a straight-on 3-pointer for his first NBA points late in the first quarter. Then, after converting two free throws, he spectacularly finished off a dunk over Embiid despite the Philly center getting a piece of the ball on a block attempt.
``That was a little personal and a flashback to a couple of months ago,’’ Bamba joked. ``But I had to finish aggressively.
``There’s definitely room for improvement and things that I need to do to make my teammates’ job easier,’’ Bamba added. ``Defensively, I need to talk more and I need to rebound more. These guys lean on me a lot for defensive assignments and to rebound more and that was one area I need to pick up on.’’
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