The Magic suffer but win the derby against the Heat

In Florida, the season often opens with a derby in between Orlando etc Miami. The favorite against the team from Heat deprived of a win in the preseason, Magic had a nice opening success (125-121). Building on its new “Big 3”, which consists of Paolo Banchero (24 points, 11 rebounds), Franz Wagner (24 points, 6 assists) et Desmond Bane (23 points), Doc Norman Powell (28 points, 9 rebounds) was the most prominent in the opposing camp.

The first half is an ode to offensive basketball, as two teams with great success collect baskets and stay in a tight position. If the Heat are the first to break away (+12), using Norman Powell’s game-winning shots, the Magic don’t let themselves be beaten, relying on Franz Wagner and new kid Desmond Bain to rally again.

As the minutes tick by, and thanks to his effective rotations (Goga Bitadze, Anthony Black, Tristan Da Silva), we feel that Orlando is gaining momentum and taking control of the game. Even if Bam Adebayo and Davion Mitchell do their best to keep the deficit to two possessions (69-65).

The break has the gift of cooling down attacks, multiplying loose balls, but no one takes advantage of it, neither on one side nor on the other side, with this gap always amounting to a maximum of two possessions and untimely changes of the leader (91-90). Then we have to wait until the start of the fourth quarter to see a new squad from the Heat.

Surrounded by replacements with some punch (Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez, Simone Fontechio), Norman Powell restored his team’s lead by about ten points. Until the duo of Paolo Banchero – Wendell Carter Jr. unleashed their paint power to turn the tide. A turning point, because it is momentum switches sides and, full of energy like Jalen Suggs, Jamal Mosley’s players don’t shoot at the line. First win at home and we had to do violence!

TO BE REMEMBERED

– Desmond Bane has already been adopted. The former Grizzlies demonstrated in front of a new audience why the Magic went for him in the summer. It is hard to dream of better support for Paolo Bancher and Franz Wagner, especially in terms of shooting quality, while his duo with Jalen Suggs will frustrate many, because they like to throw themselves at every ball and provoke. In any case, it was Bane who got Orlando on track, along with Wagner, before he stood out in the closing minutes with a good read for Buncher, a scratched ball on the ground and valuable free throws to turn it around at +4.

– The return of Jalen Suggs. Absent since January 25, the leader finally got back to work and even found his place in the top five. Limited in playing time (17 minutes), with short passes, but a presence in “money time”, he recalled that he was a fierce defender on the man, he was not the type to spare efforts, and a player above all capable of changing the situation with his shot from the outside. A full match, which is necessarily reassuring. Mention his mid-range shooting at 119 all over, which put Orlando ahead for good.

– Miami continues to struggle at the end of the matchup. Despite the season change, the Heat still fell apart late in the game. In the lead (109-101) six minutes from the end, he conceded 24-12 to end. In these so-called “clutch” situations, Erik Spoelstra’s team already had a dismal record of 14 wins and 26 losses last season. It seems to be starting on the same footing, while without Tyler Hero the variety and boldness in the game has sometimes been lacking, apart from Norman Powell. Especially since, physically, the visitors also suffered against the taller Wendell Carter Jr., who ruled in the sand.

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