josh cohen

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Josh Cohen

ORLANDO - Prior to his Charlotte Hornets playing the Orlando Magic, his former team that he had two separate coaching stints with – one as an assistant under Stan Van Gundy from 2007-12 and the other as the team’s head coach from 2018-21– Steve Clifford compared the 2023-24 Magic to one of the best teams of the 2000s.

That team, well known for their continuity and defense, is the New Jersey Nets that reached the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

The head coach of the Nets during that era was Byron Scott, who, ironically, had current Magic coach Jamahl Mosley on his staff when he was at the helm in Cleveland from 2010-13.

Clifford pointed out how those Nets teams were exceptional at guarding one-on-one, stripping the ball away from handlers, getting in the passing lanes, and protecting the paint.

Those qualities, without a doubt, are big reasons why the Magic are presently 12-5 and riding a league-best seven-game winning streak.

“Obviously, it’s their defense – size, quickness, one-on-one defenders, which is what you’ve got to have now to play good defense,” Clifford said. “The guy who has stands out for me, though, who’s taken a big step that way is (Jalen) Suggs…He’s guarding primary scorers, making it hard on them. Not only do they do what you have to do to be a good defensive team, they (also) control the ball. They’ve got a lot of guys that can guard the ball…They’re very talented on that side of the ball.”

New Jersey back then had a cast of terrific defenders, including Jason Kidd, Kerry Kittles and Kenyon Martin. In each of their Finals years, they had the NBA’s best defensive rating. Also in those two seasons, they were top five in steals, points off turnovers and opponent points in the paint.

Those are strengths right now of the Magic, who are second in steals, first in points off turnovers and 10th in opponent points in the paint.

The one big difference between them, though, was that New Jersey looked to speed the game up every chance they could. They ranked No. 1 in fast break points in both 2001-02 and 2002-03, a category the Magic currently rank in the bottom 10 in.

Still, the comparison made by Clifford is a brilliant one. While the Magic are certainly a much longer team with more frontcourt playmaking, it’s clear that they have a similar expectation every time they take the court, which is to cause havoc with their fast hands, supreme instincts, and high basketball IQ.

In 2001-02, Kidd led the NBA in total steals and Kittles was 18th. Below are some clips of the two of them coming up with steals from that season, which led to easy scoring opportunities in transition.

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2002 New Jersey Nets Steals

In Sunday’s win over the Hornets, the Magic had 10 steals, forced Charlotte into 18 turnovers, which led to 28 Orlando points, and grabbed eight more rebounds.

“I think that we all have the mentality where we want to defend,” said Cole Anthony, who also erupted for a season-best 30 points in the victory. “I think that’s the key for us, and I don’t see any reason why we can’t keep that up.”

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Steve Clifford Compares 2023-24 Orlando Magic to One of Best Teams From the 2000s

ORLANDO - Bringing the juice against teams like the defending-champion Denver Nuggets and East-leading Boston Celtics is expected. You figure a team like the scorching hot Orlando Magic wouldn’t let up on the gas at any point against upper-echelon opponents like them, which is precisely what happened this past Wednesday and Friday.&nbsp;

Doing it against weaker competition, however, is not a given. Time and time again in this league, we see high quality teams soften up, with the assumption they can coast.&nbsp;

That certainly doesn’t appear to be true of this Magic team, who continue to give 100 percent against each and every opponent, no matter what their respective records might suggest.

We saw this play out in real time with the Charlotte Hornets in town. Led by Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony, who each erupted for 30 points, the Magic once again played with supreme effort and execution in a 130-117 victory.

“We can’t worry about who’s on our schedule. We have to approach every game the same exact way,” Anthony said. “We’ve set a standard for ourselves. We need to do a great job for ourselves of maintaining that standard. If we do that, sky’s the limit. I don’t think there is a reason we can’t keep winning games.”

Orlando has now won seven in a row. The last time they won at least this many straight was from Dec. 23, 2010 to Jan. 8, 2011, when they won a team-record tying nine consecutive games.&nbsp;

“That’s really cool,” Wagner said. “Really cool for this group. Honestly want to keep it going. Mose (coach Jamahl Mosley) always says, ‘it starts with the work.’ All of the words sound nice, but we want to keep it going and make sure that we keep getting better as a group as the season continues to go on.”

Wagner made his first nine floor shots and finished 11-of-15, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Anthony, meanwhile, knocked down nine of his 16 field goal attempts and went 11-of-12 from the free throw line. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists.&nbsp;

Paolo Banchero also filled up the stat sheet with 23 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

The Magic dished out a season-best 33 assists. It was the second time this year they have racked up over 30 of them. The other was against the Toronto Raptors last week in NBA In-Season Tournament group play.&nbsp;

“I think we did a great job of kind of being selfless with the ball – drawing two, kicking it out to an open person,” Anthony said.&nbsp;

Where Orlando continues to dominate is in the paint. They finished with 74 paint points, 14 more than Charlotte. That’s quite a big deal considering entering Sunday’s NBA action, the Hornets ranked No. 1 in this category.

The Magic’s bench, per usual, did their thing, outscoring Charlotte’s reserves 52-43.

Wendell Carter Jr. (hand) and Markelle Fultz (knee) were out again for the Magic. Jonathan Isaac also didn’t play for precautionary reasons. LaMelo Ball left Sunday’s game in the second quarter after suffering a right ankle strain. He played 14 minutes and scored seven points.

Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 23 points, while Terry Rozier scored 22 and Brandon Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had 20.&nbsp;

The Magic will find out Tuesday what their status is in the In-Season Tournament. If Brooklyn loses or if they win by fewer than 14 points and Boston wins by fewer than 23 points, Orlando will win their group and advance to the quarterfinals. If they don’t win the group, there is an outside chance of them being in the wild card spot.&nbsp;

The Magic will wrap up their six-game homestand with back-to-back games against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and Friday, with both contests tipping off at 7 p.m. ET.

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Franz, Cole Each Score 30; Magic Win Seventh Straight

Opponents Are Taking a Low Number of Shots

Maybe the most staggering and powerful stat of them all, opponents of the Orlando Magic are averaging just 84.5 shots per 100 possessions. As a way to comprehend that, in the last 10 seasons, that’s the second lowest number. Only the Chicago Bulls in 2019-20 held opponents to fewer shot attempts per 100 possessions.

So, you are probably wondering, how are the Magic doing this from a defensive standpoint?&nbsp;

The four key ingredients are forcing opponents into a lot of turnovers; denying the opponent from getting more than one shot up each trip down the floor; playing defense in a way that causes the opponent to take a high number of shots deeper into the shot clock; and vice versa, being more patient offensively and taking more of their own shots deeper into the shot clock and/or getting offensive rebounds to extend possessions (which milks more of the game clock and reduces how frequently the other team has the ball).

To expound on that with actual numbers, the Magic rank No. 1 so far this season in forcing turnovers. Opponents are averaging 17.1 of them. The last team to hold opponents to at least that many were those 2019-20 Bulls.

The next category on the list is related to second-chance points. Opponents are averaging 11.7 of them against the Magic, second fewest. Only the New York Knicks rank higher.&nbsp;

As far as the shot clock-related numbers, Orlando is averaging 17.7 shot attempts per 100 possessions with less than seven seconds left on the shot clock, seventh most. Meanwhile, on defense, opponents are averaging just 23 shots per 100 possessions with at least 15 seconds remaining on the shot clock, tied for seventh fewest.&nbsp;

During this current six-game winning streak, the Magic are averaging 58.3 points in the paint, third most in this span. More specific than that, Orlando is averaging the second most shots within five feet of the basket.&nbsp;

But, arguably, even more significant is the low number of shots they are taking from the mid-range. Over these last six games, Orlando is averaging a league-low 3.7 shot attempts between 10 and 14 feet from the basket.&nbsp;

The formula for success, usually, is getting up as many layups, free throws and open 3-pointers (typically off paint-touch kickouts) as possible. The Magic are doing each of those things at a very high level. For the season, Orlando ranks No. 1 in free throw attempts, No. 2 in shot attempts within three feet of the hoop, and No. 12 in 3-point attempts off spray-outs from the paint.&nbsp;

Only the Pacers’ reserves are averaging more points than the Magic’s reserves. Also, Orlando’s bench collectively averages 19.6 minutes of playing time, fifth most. This group also rebounds at a very high level. Amongst all second units, they rank third in that department.&nbsp;

In the league’s Sixth Man of the Year race, both Moe Wagner and Cole Anthony are probably in the top three. Wagner is averaging 12.6 points and shooting 63.1 percent from the field. Among players who have taken at least 100 shots overall, he has the fourth-highest two-point field goal percentage at 71.3 percent.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Anthony is averaging 14.1 points, third most on the Magic and sixth most among all qualified reserves.

Right after Jamahl Mosley became the Magic’s head coach in the summer of 2021, he installed a bell in the practice court that gets rung whenever a player makes a hustle play. That includes things like taking a charge, deflecting a pass, and diving on the court for a loose ball.&nbsp;

Well, that tool and reward system is paying off big time. The Magic currently rank fourth in charges taken, third in deflections, and third in defensive loose balls recovered. Jalen Suggs ranks third in defensive loose balls recovered and ninth in deflections, while Moe Wagner ranks second in drawn charges.&nbsp;

The Magic have possessions where they legitimately look like Pete Carril’s Princeton teams. Those unfamiliar, a Princeton-themed offense is one that emphasizes constant motion and a lot of cutting to the basket.&nbsp;

Orlando currently ranks second in shots taken off cuts. The Wagner brothers are exceptional at this, although it’s not just them doing this. The entire team excels at it. Getting shots up off cuts is a big reason why the Magic rank so high in points in the paint, as well as why they are able to draw so many shooting fouls.&nbsp;

Although the Magic are tied for 25th&nbsp;in assists, they do rank in the top half of the league in potential assists, which is defined as any pass to a teammate who shoots within one dribble of receiving the ball.&nbsp;

Fascinating is that the Magic are 11-5 despite nobody on the team currently averaging over 20 points. The only other team without a 20-plus-point scorer at the moment are the Spurs. Banchero, however, is averaging a shade under 21 points over his last 10 games.&nbsp;

The Magic have been an outstanding first-half team most of the season. Pre-intermission, their point differential is a positive 8.8, which ranks No. 1 in the league.&nbsp;

They also rank No. 1 in steals and No. 4 in rebounding percentage.&nbsp;

Even though they’ve struggled from a 3-point efficiency standpoint, 90.9 percent of their made threes are assisted, which is the third highest mark. Again, that has a lot to do with the fact that they take many of their outside shots off spray-outs from the paint. Both Banchero and Franz Wagner do an incredible job putting pressure on the defense when they attack the paint, often forcing defenses to collapse on them, thus creating open looks for shooters on the perimeter.&nbsp;

As far as areas to improve, Orlando ranks 27th&nbsp;in 3-point percentage and 26th&nbsp;in turnovers. If they move up in those areas, that’ll just make them an even more dangerous team.&nbsp;

Th Magic bear resemblance to the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors from the last several years. Both from eye test and statistical standpoints, they do a lot of the same things as far as forcing opponents into mistakes and rushed shots, getting the ball into the paint on offense, crowding the paint with bodies on defense, and playing by committee with cohesion and discipline.

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Celtics Postgame: Paolo Banchero and Moe Wagner

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A Guide To What Is Making The Orlando Magic So Good Right Now

Magic go 3-1 in In-Season Tournament group play; Tuesday’s Celtics & Nets games will be key watches

ORLANDO - Finding a six-game stretch in Orlando Magic history that was as exciting as this current one would be hard to dig up.&nbsp;

Over this time, we’ve seen clutch shot-making by a number of Magic players, including Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in the two games in Chicago, a stifling defensive effort against the team with the league’s No. 1 offense (Indiana), a lopsided win over Toronto in which they beat them at their own game, a resilient victory over the defending-champion Nuggets, and the most recent being Friday’s gutsy 113-96 win over East-leading Boston in NBA In-Season Tournament group play.&nbsp;

The Magic, who trailed nearly the entire first half, outscored the Celtics by 25 after intermission, including by 14 in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

Moe Wagner led Orlando with 27 points, while Banchero posted 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Franz had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs were the Magic’s two others who scored in double figures, with Anthony dropping in 16 and Suggs 10.&nbsp;

“It’s just continued growth,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “They are embracing challenges. Whatever is presented to them, they are going to take it on, and it’s going to continue to be done by committee. Part of that committee is our fans, from beginning to end. When that momentum shifts and we hear them yelling, it’s so great to have that support.”&nbsp;

Although Jayson Tatum finished with 26 points, the Magic did as good of a job on him as possible. The four-time NBA All-Star got up just 16 floor shots, about four fewer than his season average, and missed all three of his 3-point attempts. Jaylen Brown also struggled, going 6-for-22 from the field overall and 2-of-8 from 3-point distance for 18 points. The Celtics, as a team, shot 7-of-29 from beyond the arc (24.1 percent).&nbsp;

The Celtics had played 15 games prior to Friday’s matchup against the surging Magic, and in all of them Boston crossed 100 points. As one of the league’s best offensive teams, that’s not a surprise. Last year, they failed to reach 100 points just seven times, with the Magic as their opponent in two of those contests, both Orlando victories.&nbsp;

It was the sixth time already this year Orlando held their opponent under 100 points.

The Magic outscored the Celtics 60-40 in the paint and 48-31 on the glass. Orlando’s bench outscored Boston’s reserves 57-24. The C’s shot just 40.8 percent from the field, their third-worst mark this season.

“Coach Mose, I give him credit,” Banchero said. “He came in the first day of (training) camp and was just preaching how we wanted to be a No. 1 caliber defense in the league, and that’s what we’ve been so far. Give huge credit to the coaches for instilling that in us, and the players for going out there and executing.”

Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the second half with left calf tightness. Jrue Holiday didn’t play because of a sprained right ankle. Still out for the Magic were Wendell Carter Jr. (hand) and Markelle Fultz (knee).&nbsp;

Winning by 17 could prove to be a big deal with point differential a potential tiebreaker in the In-Season Tournament. That won’t matter, though, if the Raptors knock off the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday. That would drop the Nets to 2-2, thus being eliminated. Also, in that scenario, what happens in the game between the Bulls and Celtics in Boston, also scheduled for Tuesday, wouldn’t matter because the Magic hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the C’s with Friday’s win.

However, point differential would come into play should the Nets and Celtics both win those games, as that would create a three-way tie. Orlando’s point differential is plus-22. Currently, Brooklyn’s is plus-eight and Boston’s is even. That means, if the Celtics win by fewer than 23 points over the Bulls and the Nets win by fewer than 14 points over the Raptors, the Magic will win the group and advance. One non-group winner from each conference will advance as well, so that’s also in play.

Before that all gets figured out, the Magic will return to standard regular season action when they host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

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Orlando Magic Stay Hot, Beat East-Leading Boston Celtics For Sixth Straight Win

Anthony Black and his parents among Thursday’s volunteers

ORLANDO - Basketball-wise, Anthony Black is all about doing what’s necessary for the betterment of the team. Right now with the Orlando Magic, the 19-year-old rookie guard is doing all the little things to contribute to winning, which they’ve done a lot lately with them currently riding a five-game winning streak.

That mentality that he has on the court matches the one he has off of it. For him, and this he learned at an early age from his parents, Terry and Jennifer Black, it’s all about doing what one can to support the community.

This mindset is one shared by his Magic teammates, coaches and team staff, which was evident on Thanksgiving morning when he, his parents, head coach Jamahl Mosley, team CEO Alex Martins, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman, Vice President of Shareholder Engagement Ryan DeVos, and many other Magic volunteers served breakfast to the nearly 500 men, women and children who currently reside at the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and the more than 100 unsheltered individuals from the community, who may be struggling with food insecurity.

“The Orlando Magic obviously means a lot to the city, and being here is impacting everybody that’s here’s life,” Black said. “It just shows how good of a group of people that are with the Magic.”&nbsp;

Black remembers as a kid in Texas his mother taking him to community events just like Thursday’s to help out. Other times, they would go under bridges and feed the homeless and give them clothes.

With the social platform he now has as an NBA player, he’s excited about future philanthropic opportunities. He’s also inspired after learning about all that the Magic do to strengthen this community.

“The people in this organization are super caring, and it’s really family oriented,” he said. “This is just another gesture to prove how connected and how good of an organization we have.”

Black’s Magic teammates and coaches have been out and about in the community lifting the spirits of others themselves this week and using their resources to relieve some of the challenges many face around the holidays. Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr., for example, participated in two separate Thanksgiving meal distribution events.&nbsp;

This was the 31st&nbsp;year the Magic have held this Thanksgiving event at the Coalition for the Homeless, which started because of the vision and ambition the late Rich DeVos had for the Central Florida community when he purchased the team in 1991.&nbsp;

“Rich DeVos instilled in us the fact that as an organization we are not just here to win games, but we are here to be champions of our community, to give back to our community, and do whatever we can to build up the Central Florida community,” Martins said. “Whenever we do anything in the community, we think about Rich and Helen DeVos. They really left a legacy in all of us to make sure that we give back to the Central Florida community.”

For returning volunteers of this event, such as Weltman and Mosley, it’s always special for them because they have seen first-hand how it has restored faith in so many of the individuals and families who are in search of stable and permanent housing.&nbsp;

“I’ve been here six-plus years, and the legacy that we are a part of really makes you feel special to come here every year,” Weltman said. “When I see relationships that are built year after year after year, it’s such a welcoming place, and I know that the people that come here they need this feel, they need to know that people care about them. For us to be able to start the day this way, I’m privileged enough to be able to serve them. It’s a special part of our day.”&nbsp;

For the third straight year, Mosley paid for this meal. For him, though, the greatest joy is seeing smiles on the faces and knowing that more and more people continue to be assisted by everything the Magic do in the community.

“The Magic have done such a phenomenal job of being in the community, getting out and being able to share and give back,” he said. “Thirty-one years of this event is fantastic.”&nbsp;

Someone else extremely grateful for everything the Magic do is Allison Krall, president and CEO at Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. Even though the Magic have been doing this for over three decades, each time they call and say we’re coming, it’s a delight to her ears.

“Thirty-one years of the Magic organization taking time away from their families to be here to serve those who do not have what these players, what this team, what this organization has, and giving back 31 years, it’s amazing,” she said.

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Orlando Magic Coaches, Players and Staff Serve Thanksgiving Breakfast at Coalition for the Homeless for 31st Year

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic continue to do things their way. 

They dominate the paint. They play physical. They win the bench battle. And, when the pressure builds, they stay resilient.

Like many of their previous games this season, all of that transpired in the Magic’s thrilling 124-119 victory over the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets at Amway Center on Wednesday night.&nbsp;

Franz Wagner scored 24 of his 27 points in the second half, Paolo Banchero finished with 23 points and Cole Anthony poured in 20 points, as the Magic shot a season-best 54.3 percent from the field and made 26 of their 30 free throws, including two by Goga Bitadze and two by Jalen Suggs in the final seconds to seal Orlando’s fifth straight win.

The last time the Magic won at least this many in a row was last December when they put together a six-game winning streak.&nbsp;

“Our guys’ resiliency and toughness, to go down, they made a bunch of runs, and we knew it was going to be this type of game – but that’s what the growth of this team is turning into,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “The believe system of knowing what we are capable of doing in big games.”&nbsp;

The Magic’s two biggest floor shots came around the two-minute mark of the fourth. Franz converted an AND-1 with 2:31 left to give Orlando the lead. Nikola Jokic, who finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, tied it with a floater on the very next possession. Orlando would then reclaim the lead for good when Banchero hit one of his four 3-pointers with 1:49 remaining.&nbsp;

Orlando outscored Denver 60-44 in the paint; and the Magic’s reserves outscored the Nuggets’ reserves 58-25. In addition to Anthony, Joe Ingles (12 points), Moe Wagner (12 points) and Jonathan Isaac (nine points) all played a huge role off the bench in the win.

Jokic now has a league-high six triple-doubles this season. Michael Porter Jr. added 25 points for Denver, which led by nine early in the fourth, while former Magic player Aaron Gordon recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds.&nbsp;

At 10-5, the Magic are off to their best start since the 2011-12 campaign.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We have a belief about ourselves, not just that we are competing that night, but that we are winning the game – and I think ownership is a big part of that,” Franz said.&nbsp;

Next up for the Magic is a clash with the East-leading Boston Celtics in NBA In-Season Tournament group play on Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET. So far in this competition, Orlando has wins over Chicago and Toronto and a loss to Brooklyn on its record. 

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Nuggets Postgame: Franz Wagner

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Orlando Magic Notch Fifth Straight Win With Thrilling Victory Over Defending Champs

ORLANDO - When you look over the stat sheet from the Orlando Magic’s 126-107 victory on Tuesday over the Toronto Raptors in NBA In-Season Tournament action, a few things should stand out, especially if you pay close attention to some of those more advanced numbers.

For one, the Magic outscored the Raptors 68-36 in the paint. Although not uncommon for Orlando to pile up a lot of paint points, accumulating 32 more than Toronto was significant, and unusual. Not often do the Raptors get outscored in the paint, and when they do, rarely is it ever by that much.

Also big, and again infrequent, was the Magic holding the Raptors to just nine fast break points. If there’s one thing Toronto is known for – not just this season, but the last few years – is scoring in transition, often off opponent turnovers. Orlando, in many ways, beat Toronto at its own game, forcing the Raptors into 24 turnovers for 31 points.

“Jalen (Suggs), J.I. (Jonathan Isaac) are special on that end (defense) – All-Defensive (Team) type of players,” Paolo Banchero said. “I think the rest of us, we all are not only good defenders, but I think we are all very smart basketball players, very high IQ basketball players. Obviously, defense takes effort, but also it takes a certain IQ and knowing how to cover for each other, communication. I think we do a great job of talking out there on the court. If we do mess up, guys are there to cover right away. It’s a special connection I think we have out there on the defensive end. Honestly, something that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before, not saying I haven’t been on good defensive teams, but nothing like this.”

The Magic also dished out a season-high 31 assists, including a season-best 10 of them from Cole Anthony. Orlando’s ball movement, spacing and cutting continues to be superb, and were reasons why six Magic players scored in double figures during Tuesday’s win.

Banchero led the way with 25 points, his sixth 20-plus-point performance so far this season, Suggs scored 18, Franz Wagner had 17 and Anthony finished with 15.&nbsp;

The crowd’s energy was a big factor as well. It was Orlando’s first game playing on their home NBA In-Season Tournament court.&nbsp;

“I thought our fans were fantastic,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “I thought their energy was up. It got our guys going. Our guys came out and played the right way, they played hard, they shared the basketball. We defended at a high clip, which we are going to continue to ask these guys to do.”

Dennis Schroder, a teammate of the Wagner brothers on the German National Team that won the gold in the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament this past summer, led Toronto with 24 points, while Pascal Siakam scored 16 and Scottie Barnes had 14.&nbsp;

The only time Orlando trailed was when it was 4-2 Toronto in the first minute of the game. The Magic led by as many as 27.&nbsp;

Orlando has now won four straight. It’s the first time they have won at least this many in a row since racking up six straight victories last December.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Winning by 19 could prove to be significant with point differential one of the In-Season Tournament tiebreakers. All the attention for the Magic in this competition, however, shifts to a possible win-and-stay-alive or lose-and-be-eliminated contest at Amway Center on Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET against the Boston Celtics, who are currently 11-3 overall and 2-0 in the tournament.&nbsp;

The Magic, with a loss to the Brooklyn Nets and wins over the Chicago Bulls and Raptors, are 2-1 in group play. The Nets are also 2-1, with a home game against the Raptors still to be played. Both 0-2, Chicago and Toronto’s chances of advancing are slim to none.&nbsp;

If the Magic are able to advance to the quarterfinals, that game will be played on either Monday, Dec. 4 or Tuesday, Dec. 5. The semifinals and championship will take place in Las Vegas on Thursday, Dec. 7 and Saturday Dec. 9, respectively.&nbsp;

Before Friday’s game is a meeting with the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

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Raptors Postgame: Cole Anthony and Paolo Banchero

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Orlando Magic Beat Toronto Raptors At Their Own Game, Improve to 2-1 in In-Season Tournament

ORLANDO - A commonality between Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr. – besides the obvious that they both play for the Orlando Magic – is their passion for philanthropy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

From the moment they each arrived in Orlando – Fultz in 2019 and Carter in 2021 – they’ve embedded themselves in the Central Florida community and gone above and beyond to lift the spirits of others, especially during the holidays.&nbsp;

Although neither seek recognition or credit from their community engagements, the two have been honored for their benevolence in the past. In fact, they are the most recent winners of the Rich & Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award, which goes to the Magic player each year who&nbsp;has dedicated his efforts off the court for the purpose of enhancing other's lives. Fultz won the award in 2021-22 and Carter in 2022-23.&nbsp;

With the holiday season now upon us, it was of no surprise to see both of them spring right back into action to kick off this year’s Magic holiday community festivities.&nbsp;On Monday, Nov. 20, in two separate events, they combined to distribute nearly 1,000 Thanksgiving meals to underserved families.&nbsp;

The fourth annual “Fultzgiving” event took place first at the Denton Johnson Center in Eatonville, where, in a drive-up arrangement, Markelle, his mother Ebony, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, Community Ambassador Bo Outlaw and dozens of other volunteers loaded up hundreds of cars with meals. The Magic joined community partners Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and St. Lawrence AME Church to provide food donations and assist the Fultz family.&nbsp;

“It’s extremely special,” Fultz said. “Just to see the excitement in people, and just the joy. I feel like I’ve seen more and more cars every time. It brings more joy to my heart. It’s something I’m trying to instill in my kids. Just want to continue to always give back and help as many people as I can. Just to see everyone come together right now – have coach here, have all the people that’s helping – that’s what it’s all about for me. It’s bigger than just basketball.”&nbsp;

In the evening, at Christ the King Episcopal Church in Orlando, Carter joined his parents – Kylia and Wendell Sr. – Mosley, assistant coach Dale Osbourne, Outlaw, and staff from both the Magic and Florida Blue in handing out another 400-plus Thanksgiving meals. The generosity of Carter, on behalf of his family’s Platform² Foundation, Florida Blue, the Magic, and supporting partners Kroger Delivery and GOYA Foods made this event possible. Florida Blue, in addition to the Thanksgiving meals, also provided the families boxes of perishable and non-perishable food items as part of the Block Out Hunger program.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It means a lot. It’s always good being able to give back to the community. That’s always what I’ve wanted to do ever since I got to the league, ever since I got status in my name,” Carter Jr. said. “I feel like this is part of being a great athlete – being able to give back to the community.”&nbsp;

From a basketball perspective, it’s a game-changer when everyone on the team shares the same goals and vision. It’s no different when it comes to community objectives, which is one of the many reasons why Mosley feels it’s important to contribute to the community and make a positive impact alongside his players. &nbsp;

“Our guys do a great job of putting things together. The Magic do an amazing job giving back in the community as well,” he said. “Being able to be alongside of them and see how much they care (through) their foundations, how much they want to give back, and how important it is to them of giving – it’s always going to be bigger than the game of basketball. How you can serve, care and take care of those around you is the most important thing.” &nbsp;

The Block Out Hunger program started several years ago by Florida Blue and the Magic in an effort to combat hunger in Central Florida. For every Magic block during the season, Florida Blue donates 10 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. In 2022-23, the Magic blocked 382 shots, resulting in Florida Blue donating 3.820 meals.

As Tony Jenkins, Florida Blue market president for the Central Florida region, has seen time and time again, it makes a massive difference when compassionate organizations – like his and the Magic – team up on community projects and work together to tackle large-scale issues.&nbsp;

“Our employees live in the community as well,” he said. “So, a lot of these families and individuals are our neighbors, co-workers. We wanted to make sure that people don’t recognize the imbalance. So what better way to (try and solve these issues) than, for not only the Orlando Magic and Florida Blue, but other companies and players like Wendell Carter Jr. to give back as well.”&nbsp;

On Thanksgiving Day,&nbsp;in what is one of the Magic’s most cherished traditions, Mosley will join Magic guard Anthony Black and his family; Magic CEO Alex Martins; Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman; Outlaw and fellow Community Ambassador Nick Anderson; and other team volunteers in serving breakfast to the 400 residents at the Coalition for the Homeless and the more than 100 unsheltered homeless individuals from the community. This is the 31st&nbsp;year the Magic will host the breakfast.

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Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz Distribute Thanksgiving Meals to Underserved Families in Two Separate Events

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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.