The Orlando Magic are learning a lot about themselves during a five-game, nine-day road trip, which continues Saturday against the Washington Wizards.
After losing four straight games, Orlando snapped the skid with a 123-107 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday for their first road win of the season.
The Magic will look to build on the victory against Washington, which has dropped three straight. The Wizards trailed by as many as 24 points in a 127-108 road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
Orlando committed too many turnovers and struggled on the defensive end during their recent losing streak, but the team turned in a complete effort in the win over Charlotte.
Franz Wagner scored 21 points to lead Orlando, while Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black added 20 points apiece.
Black made his first start of the season in the victory and shot 8 for 13, including three 3-pointers.
“When he’s going downhill, creating plays for himself and others, he’s a monster,” Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. said. “That’s the biggest thing, is just keeping his foot on the gas. When he’s aggressive, he makes the game so much easier for everybody else around him.”
Desmond Bane, who was acquired in an offseason trade from the Memphis Grizzlies, made two key plays in the game’s final minutes and is averaging 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Banchero is averaging team highs in points (22.5) and rebounds (9.0) for the Magic, who shot 51.7% from the field against the Hornets.
The 22-year-old Banchero also has a total of 21 assists in the last three games.
“He holds so much gravity and weight when he has that ball in his hands,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “He’s got defenses loaded up to him and he’s looking to make the right play. … He did a great job at finding others and sharing it, getting his teammates involved.”
The Magic swept the season series 4-0 against Washington last year and have won the last 10 meetings.
The Wizards are hoping the return of third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly helps end their slide.
Coulibaly made his season debut on Thursday after sitting out due to a thumb injury and made an immediate impact with 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 24 minutes.
“I’ve worked too much to be passive and all that,” Coulibaly said. “I’m just trying to be as active as possible this year. Every possession, everybody’s got to feel me. I think it will be a really good step up.”
Washington features the second-youngest roster in the NBA, behind only the Brooklyn Nets, and Coulibaly is a key part of the team’s rebuilding effort.
“He gets better every year,” teammate Corey Kispert said. “It’s not a surprise to any of us how he looked (Thursday) and probably how he felt. He’s a real, real player. The jumper looked good. He clearly worked in the offseason. It’s good to see him out on the floor.”
Coulibaly started next to CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Khris Middleton in the loss to Oklahoma City. The Wizards will need to take better care of the basketball after committing a season-high 23 turnovers against the reigning NBA champions.
–Field Level Media
