Jamal Mosley says Jevon Carter fits “just right” into what Orlando is all about

The The Orlando Magic delivered a franchise record in shooting Thursday night, but it was veteran running back Jevon Carter who received strong praise from the head coach Jamahl Mosley after beating the Sacramento Kings 131-94.

Orlando made 27 3-pointers in the winsetting a new brand for the franchise. Carter, playing in just his second game since signing with the team at the trade deadline more than two weeks ago, turned in his best performance in a Magic uniform. The 30-year-old finished with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes off the bench. He shot 5-for-8 from the field, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and added a free throw, posting a team-high plus-34 rating.

Carter joined Orlando after being waived by the Chicago Bulls at the beginning of February. The Magic quickly added the veteran point guard, valuing his defensive intensity and experience.

Mosley told Carter’s the impact was immediate.

“He’s about the right things. He’s about winning, he’s about the team, he’s about playing the right way and you saw as soon as he got on the court, it was full court, huddle talk, getting guys in the right spots, going into shots with confidence,” Mosley said.

“But again, he’s about all the right things. He’s about winning, he’s about toughness. He fits right in with what we do here with the Magic — hard-nosed defense, creating your offense on the other end.”

Paolo Banchero highlights Jevon Carter’s energy in Magic’s historic win

Zvezda forward Paolo Banchero, who led Orlando with 30 points, six assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block, echoed that sentiment. Banchero shot 10-for-21 from the field, 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-5 from the free throw line in 32 minutes.

“Just his energy — his energy, his voice, obviously his game, he’s active on defense, he’s making shots on offense, he’s trying to make the right play as a point guard,” Banchero said. “I think he really fits what we’re doing … him as a guy who’s been in the league (already) a little bit, he’s got a great perspective and it just encourages him to continue to use his voice out there.”

Carter attributed unselfish play for the team’s historic shooting night.

“Just going downhill, being unselfish, getting off it, being aggressive, you know what I’m saying, just making the shots that were there (and) not thinking about it, missing them. And just playing together,” Carter said.

He described the exit as a product of preparation and work.

“It was fun, I take pride in hard work, you know, hard work always pays off. That’s the motto I live by. You know it was definitely fun being out there with the guys, really, really getting back into the swing of things.”

With the win, Orlando improved to 29-25, moving within a half game of the Philadelphia 76ers (30-25) for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic continue their West Coast trip Saturday against the Phoenix Suns (32-24) at 5:00 PM ET on NBA TV, and Carter’s early impact adds another layer of depth as the playoff race intensifies.