ORLANDO, Fla. — When the Orlando Magic arrived at Amway Center on Friday morning, the team planned to participate in a scheduled shootaround and finalize preparations for the Miami Heat.
That is until the team started its COVID-19 testing.
The team discovered that a couple of players tested positive for the coronavirus, which canceled shootaround. In all, five players were placed into the NBA’s health and safety protocols: Mo Bamba, Ignas Brazdeikis, R.J. Hampton, Terrence Ross and Moe Wagner.
The five players joined an already lengthy injury report with six others out because of injury. Down 11 players, the Magic did not have the league-mandated minimum of eight players available to play versus the Heat so they were forced to improvise.
Orlando signed Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, BJ Johnson and Admiral Schofield from the Lakeland Magic to 10-day contracts via hardship exceptions by the NBA. The Magic had 10 players available to play following the signings from their NBA G League affiliate.
Franz Wagner explained how the day unfolded for the Magic.
(It was) a really weird game day. We came in and everybody tested for the upcoming (road) trip to (Brooklyn), Toronto and (Atlanta). We had a couple of tests come back positive and everybody had to test again, basically. I think at like 3 o’clock or something like that we got a text that we were going to play the game and the guys from Lakeland were going to come.
On top of the uncertainty surrounding the game, the Magic were tasked with playing a Heat team fifth in the Eastern Conference. They took the floor with a lineup that hadn’t played together much and eventually worked in the four signees from Lakeland.
The 10 players available to play on Friday:
G: Gary Harris, Mychal Mulder, Hassani Gravett, BJ Johnson
F: Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke, Admiral Schofield, Aleem Ford
C: Wendell Carter Jr., Robin Lopez
Orlando raced out to an early 10-point lead in the first quarter but the Heat ended the period on a 23-4 run to take the lead for good. The Magic managed to cut the deficit down to nine points in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell late, 115-105.
Wagner led the way with 27 points and six rebounds while Gary Harris scored 20 points. The new signees combined for 15 points with Gravett pacing the group with six points. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley loved the way the Magic competed in the loss.
We talked about this with the guys, the next man up. No matter what is going on, no matter what happens, you have to be ready to go. When your number is called, you step in and be ready to go. I think these guys did a great competing, fighting and playing with an extreme effort.
The circumstances gave the Magic quite a challenge to overcome. However, they are not the only team dealing with issues related to the health and safety protocols and lengthy injury reports. The Heat were without six key players, while other teams struggle to field rosters due to COVID-19.
I believe the #magic were scheduled to wear their City Edition jerseys. But they are in their Black Icon Editions tonight. Assumedly because they could not make new City Editions for all the new players on such short notice.
— Orlando Magic Daily (@OMagicDaily) December 18, 2021
Mosley said the five players were all asymptomatic. They were experiencing some mild symptoms but nothing too severe. To be cleared from the health safety protocols, they must miss 10 days or return two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart.
Given the challenges of fielding a team, the Magic handled the situation well as each player on the roster stepped up when they needed to. The group knew it was in for a challenge entering the contest and played with great fight and effort.
“Once the ball is thrown up, it’s fun for everybody out there,” Wagner said. “I think it’s a challenge to not make excuses and talk about how the game went and all that kind of stuff but (you just have to) be ready to play and do your job out there.”
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