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Magic strive a little history at Nets' cost

Expectations are increasing for the Orlando Magic.

After the winningest season in well over a years, Orlando's very first game of the season went exceedingly well, particularly in the third quarter.

Now, the Magic effort to begin 2-0 in consecutive seasons for the very first time in over 30 years on Friday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets.

The Magic effort to open with back-to-back wins to begin back-to-back seasons for the very first time since the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons-- the very first two campaigns of Shaquille O'Neal's Hall of Fame profession.

Last season the Magic won their very first two games and were never under.500 en path to 47 wins, their most because going 52-30 in 2010-11-- two seasons after losing in the NBA finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Led by Paolo Banchero and an emerging core, the Magic are Southeast Division favorites after taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to Game 7 in the preliminary of last spring's postseason. Banchero, who saw his scoring typical improve from 20 indicate 22.6 in his 2nd project, scored 33 points in the 116-97 win over the host Miami Heat on Wednesday when Orlando started the third with a 12-0 run.

Banchero scored 12 points when the Magic shot 66.7 percent (14 of 21) from the floor and outscored the Heat 39-18 in the third to turn a four-point halftime lead into a 25-point margin following a 25-minute halftime ceremony.

Our coaches did an excellent job of seeing the things that we were doing both offensively and defensively, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. And credit to the guys for focusing on the game plan and understanding what was working and what was not.

Banchero had a lot of aid as Franz Wagner included 23 points, Gary Harris finished with 18 and Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 14 rebounds as the Magic shot 42.7 percent from the field and struck 18 of 49 3-point efforts (36.7 percent).

The Internet are trying to avoid consecutive 0-2 begins for the first time in their NBA history after falling brief in a 120-116 roadway loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Jordi Fernandez's training launching.

Fernandez ended up being the 10th coach given that the Internet relocated to Brooklyn and viewed Webcam Thomas rating 36 indicate start a season where the fourth-year guard is expected to be the group's top scorer.

Thomas scored 20 points in the 4th quarter when the Internet nearly eliminated a. 10-point deficit in the final six-plus minutes. Thomas' late flurry occurred. after Nic Claxton was ejected for a flagrant-two foul with about 8 minutes. remaining.

Claxton's difficult nasty was amongst Brooklyn's 32 fouls, leading to the Hawks. going to the free-throw line 46 times. It was the most fouls by Brooklyn since. devoting 34 in a five-point loss at Phoenix on Jan. 19, 2023.

Just showing what we have actually been preaching all camp, all preseason, Thomas said. Playing physical, getting up into guys. However at the same time, we got to have. a regulated physicality with us. Whether we seem like they were the right. calls or not, 46 complimentary throws is sort of inappropriate.

Brooklyn is likewise hoping to decrease its turnovers from the season opener. After. committing at least 15 in 28 games last season, the Nets had 19 giveaways,. consisting of a combined 11 by Dennis Schroder and Ben Simmons, who played 24. minutes in his first game given that back surgery in March.

-- Field Level Media

(source: Reuters)