The Orlando Magic began post-All-Star break play with a franchise-record 3-point barrage.
The Phoenix Suns began it with another injury.
The Magic enter the second game of a four-game Western trip against the host Suns on Saturday after making 27 3-pointers in a 131-94 beatdown at Sacramento on Thursday, which handed the Kings their franchise-record 15th straight loss.
Paolo Banchero scored 30 points with five threes to go with six assists and five rebounds. Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva and Jett Howard had four treys apiece.
“A good way to start the back half of the season,” Banchero said. “Coming off the break and setting a 3-point record, that’s a great sign.”
The Suns will be without 3-point marksman Devin Booker, who left in the second quarter of a 121-94 loss to San Antonio in Austin, Texas, on Thursday because of a right hip strain.
Booker, who participated in last weekend’s All-Star Game and 3-Point Contest, started against the Spurs but played only 8:47 and left following a two-minute run late in the second quarter.
Booker, who missed eight of the 10 games prior to the break with an ankle injury, had five points on 2-of-6 shooting.
“We just saved him from himself,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “He felt good enough to come back in. Definitely noticed at the end of that second stint that he was not right. Something just popped up.”
The Suns also played without suspended forward Dillon Brooks and guard Grayson Allen (knee) in their fourth loss in five games. They should have Brooks back against the Magic and Allen in questionable as they inch closer to becoming whole.
Guard Jalen Green, who was acquired to pair with Booker in the backcourt, had 26 points and four 3-pointers in 26 minutes against the Spurs. He has played only eight games because of season-long injury woes (hamstring, hip).
Green’s energy was apparent. He had three steals, three rebounds, two assists and three turnovers while starting for the third time.
“Jalen’s rim pressure is what we are so eager to see,” Ott said. “We struggle to get (to the rim) so much. The most important piece with Jalen is the 26 minutes. We are excited to see where it goes from there.”
Brooks was suspended after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season in the final game before the break. He is subject to additional one-game suspensions if he gets his 18th, 20th and so on.
The Magic and Suns are in seventh place in either conference and look to make a push down the stretch to finish in the top six and avoid the play-in tournament. The Magic have 28 games remaining and the Suns have 26.
“We all understand that we’re in a tight race in the standings,” Banchero said. “We’re just trying to take it one game at a time. We know this is a big road trip.”
The Magic conclude the trip in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Sunday and the Lakers on Tuesday.
“We’re facing some good Western Conference teams,” Banchero said. “We have to go to Phoenix and replicate the same effort and be even more locked in. They are a good team, and we have to be ready for that challenge.”
–Field Level Media
