Tag: Orlando Magic

Jamahl Mosley: Jett Howard to remain in G League amid growing number of injuries

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said the team plans to keep Jett Howard in the G League amid a growing number of injuries on the roster.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said the team plans to keep rookie Jett Howard in the G League amid a growing number of injuries on the parent-club roster.

The Magic have been short-handed recently and were without six players due to injury or illness for Tuesday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. They had just 10 players available to play, although two others, including Howard, are on assignment in the G League.

Howard was assigned to the Osceola Magic on Dec. 28 and has remained with the team since. The team views the assignment as a good opportunity to log extended minutes despite the roster dealing with several injuries.

Mosley called it a good experience for Howard to be with Osceola.

The one thing that has been great for Jett and, obviously, we’ve relied on other bodies and different people, I think it is great for what Jett is doing right now: He is averaging 30-plus minutes. Regardless of our depth, it is going to be hard to match those minutes. He is getting 30 minutes down there and playing at a high level. The great part about the G is that it is so much faster, so you have to catch up to things faster.

Howard is averaging 20.3 points, four rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal on 36.9% shooting from 3-point range in nine games with Osceola. He has registered two 30-point games, including a career-high 34 points and seven 3-pointers on Nov. 22.

The 11th pick has been out of the rotation with Orlando after totaling 36 minutes across nine appearances. He logged 12.6 minutes in December and has yet to play more than 10 minutes in a game this season with several players ahead of him in the rotation.

The opportunity to log real game experience with Osceola has been very valuable for Howard. He can log extended minutes and work on elements of his game to be prepared to contribute.

“I think it has been benefiting him,” Mosley said. “He is getting a lot more comfortable being on the floor handling the ball and shooting the ball, and defensively, having to stay in front of a lot of those quick guards. I think that experience down there is benefiting him so much.”

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NBA Power Rankings: Thunder on the rise; Pacers move up after hot run

Rookie Wire looked at the NBA through games played on Thursday and ranked each team from worst to first.

The calendar has flipped to 2024, and teams in the NBA have started to hit their stride after stringing together some impressive performances on the court of late.

The past week of action has seen some of the championship contenders pick up key wins, proving how dangerous they can be. Other teams around the league have seemingly struggled of late and have fallen down the standings some.

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The collective basketball community is also getting a clearer picture of the players approaching All-Star status after the league released the first batch of voting results on Thursday. The list featured some of the usual candidates and some newcomers.

To make further sense of it all, Rookie Wire looked at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will return each week and provide our latest assessment of the best teams and those that are rising.

Shaquille O’Neal had the sweetest reaction to hearing his Magic jersey would be retired

This is so cool for Shaq and all Magic fans.

Shaquille O’Neal found out some exciting news on the latest edition of Inside the NBA, something that’s a long time coming for the basketball legend.

The broadcast crew surprised O’Neal with a video call from Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins, who shared that O’Neal will become the first former Magic player to have his jersey retired by the franchise.

O’Neal seemed genuinely touched by the news as he took a very humble approach to reacting to the career accomplishment.

As zany as Inside the NBA can get, moments like this remind you why it’s one of the best sports shows on television right now.

This is just such an awesome moment for O’Neal and Magic fans everywhere, as perhaps the best-ever player to take the court for the franchise will finally be enshrined in Orlando history.

The No. 32 will belong to O’Neal for the rest of time, and watching him react to the news was just so moving.

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Former Vols’ NBA results for Jan. 3

A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Wednesday.

Four former Vols competed in the NBA Wednesday.

Miami defeated the Lakers, 110-96, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Josh Richardson totaled 10 points, one rebound, one assist and one block in 20 minutes for the Heat. He converted 4-of-7 field goal attempts and 2-of-3 three-point attempts.

Sacramento defeated Orlando, 138-135, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Admiral Schofield recorded one assist, while playing six minutes for the Magic.

Dallas defeated Portland, 126-97, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Grant Williams recorded two points, two rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes for the Mavericks.

New York defeated Chicago, 116-100, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.

Julian Phillips totaled one rebound in two minutes for the Bulls.

Former Vols NBA results for Jan. 2

A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Tuesday.

Three former Vols competed in the NBA Tuesday.

Philadelphia defeated Chicago, 110-97, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tobias Harris started at forward for the 76ers. He totaled 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 30 minutes. Harris converted 9-of-13 field goal attempts, 1-of-4 three-point attempts and 1-of-3 free throw attempts.

Jaden Springer recorded four points, two rebounds, two assists and one block in 21 minutes for Philadelphia.

Julian Phillips totaled seven points and three blocks for the Bulls in 17 minutes. He converted 3-of-5 field goal attempts and 1-for-3 three-point attempts.

Admiral Schofield was inactive for Orlando in its 121-115 loss to Golden State at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.

Former Vols’ NBA results for Dec. 29

A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Friday.

Two former Vols competed in the NBA Friday.

Philadelphia defeated Houston, 131-127, at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Tobias Harris started at forward for the 76ers. He totaled 22 points, seven assists, four rebounds, four steals and three blocks in 35 minutes.

He converted 10-of-18 field goal attempts and 2-of-6 three-point attempts.

Jaden Springer did not play due to a coach’s decision for Philadelphia.

Indiana defeated Chicago, 120-104. at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Julian Phillips played one minute and did not record any statistics for the Bulls.

Orlando defeated New York, 117-108, at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. Admiral Schofield was inactive for the Magic.

NBA Power Rankings: Celtics jump Timberwolves to take the No. 1 spot

Rookie Wire looked at the NBA through games played on Thursday and ranked each team from worst to first.

With the calendar set to flip over to 2024, the NBA is through two-plus months of action on the court behind some incredible play from the top players in the game.

The first half of the season has seen most of the championship contenders establish themselves as the front-runners to win this year. Other teams who’ve had surprising starts this season find themselves right there alongside the favorites, too.

To make further sense of it all, Rookie Wire looked at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will return each week and provide our latest assessment of the best teams and those that are rising.

Former Vols’ NBA results for Dec. 27

A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Wednesday.

Four former Vols competed in the NBA Wednesday.

Cleveland defeated Dallas, 113-110, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Grant Williams totaled four points, six rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes for the Mavericks. He converted 2-of-7 field goal attempts.

Philadelphia defeated Orlando, 112-92, at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

Tobias Harris started at forward for the 76ers. He recorded 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. He converted 10-of-23 field goal attempts, 1-of-5 three-point attempts and 1-of-1 free throw attempts.

Jaden Springer played one minute and did not record any statistics for Philadelphia.

Admiral Schofield played one minute and did not record any statistics for the Magic.

Jamahl Mosley applauded Magic rookie Anthony Black after career performance

Magic rookie Anthony Black produced his first career 20-point performance on Tuesday and earned praise from coach Jamahl Mosley afterward.

Orlando Magic rookie Anthony Black produced his first career 20-point performance on Tuesday and earned praise from coach Jamahl Mosley.

Black recorded 23 points, six rebounds, four steals and one assist in a 127-119 victory on the road over the Washington Wizards. He went 9-of-13 from the field, including a career-high 4-of-6 from 3-point range, in 32 minutes of work.

The sixth pick became the fourth rookie this season with at least 20 points and four steals in a game. He surpassed his previous season high (13 points) in the first half after totaling 17 points at the intermission.

“The things that he does don’t always show up in the box score,” Mosley said. “It’s the cuts, rebounds, screening, movement and spacing the floor the right way. The guys did a great job finding him as they shifted off him. He was ready to step in and knock his shot down.”

Black scored the majority of his points assisted, from moving around and cutting on the court to being in the right spots for the open shot. He was seemingly in the right position throughout his time on the court and capitalized on it.

He credited his teammates for finding him.

“I got a couple of ones in transition and then just got pretty open 3s, to be honest,” Black said. “I’m pretty sure most of my points were assisted, so it definitely goes out to the guys for finding me.”

Black was out of the rotation to start the season, but the Magic turned to him once Markelle Fultz went down with a knee injury. He is tied for the fourth-most starts by a rookie this season (23) and has been with that group for the past 21 games.

Tuesday marked the fourth time Black has scored in double figures this season. The team has often turned to him on the defensive end, but the 19-year-old took advantage of coverages and put up his best offensive night to date.

“I think the coaches have done a great job with him,” Mosley said. “He has done a heck of a job continuing to work, not just on his shot but just overall reading and studying the game. Coach (Jeremiah) Boswell does a great job with him, getting him in the gym, coming in early and staying late, and that’s who he is.”

After playing sparingly to start the season, Black has stepped in and has helped the Magic to a 15-8 record in the starting lineup. He has provided a presence on both ends of the court in place of Fultz, and is producing nightly.

With Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony handling the bulk of the scoring, the team likely will not need Black to score 20 points every night. Instead, they will rely on his effort and hustle plays, which Black is more than comfortable providing.

“We’re playing good ball right now, and I’m just trying to focus on that,” Black said. “I know it is going to come game by game, and I’m getting more comfortable, so I’m just trying to do the things that are helping us win.”

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Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Dec. 18-24

Blake actually got some decent minutes!

By some miracle, [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] logged his first double-digit minutes game this season over the past week. It happened when he played nearly 12 minutes in the San Antonio Spurs’ Dec. 23 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. In turn, he gave his best performance of the season with five points, three assists and three steals. Coupled with three points and two assists while losing to the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 21, Wesley averaged 4.0 points and 2.5 assists over the two games played.

Meanwhile, [autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] had a couple of consistent games in wins Dec. 21 over the Orlando Magic and Dec. 23 against the New York Knicks. Those contests saw him with back-to-back lines of eight points and eight assists. This made up for the Dec. 19 game against the Spurs in which he scored only three points on 1-of-8 shooting. All of this meant him averaging 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over his three games during the week.

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