Magic Starting 5: Lakers Beat Orlando in Tight Battle
In this story:
1. AUSTIN REAVES LEADS LAKERS TO WIN VS. MAGIC
"From there, Austin Reaves took over for the Lakers, scoring six consecutive points for Los Angeles to seal the victory. Reaves scored the final 10 points for the Magic, which led to a career-high 35 off the bench for the second-year pro.
"The Magic had chances to keep the game tied down the stretch, but ultimately the shots wouldn't fall for Orlando."
2. PAOLO'S 'LOOSE GRIP' FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
"Paolo Banchero remains No. 1, but he has company in the top tier, and his grip on the Rookie of the Year award is looser than ever," The Athletic writes. "He’s the top option on the Orlando Magic and undeniably deals with more defensive attention than any other rookie because of his polished offensive game. Having said that, Banchero’s production has tailed off in his last 20 games. He’s averaging just under 19 points while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from 3, and he’s getting to the line slightly less often than he did early in the season. Because of that, his true shooting percentage over that time has dipped to 48.1, nearly 10 points below the league average."
3. MARKELLE'S HIGH CEILING
"I feel like I have a high ceiling, I have so much room to grow," Fultz said. "Everyday, I'm just trying to get a little bit better and compete to help his team win."
4. JAMAHL MOSLEY WANTS MORE PRESSURE ON DEFENSE
"I think it all starts with our ball pressure," Mosley said. "When we were at a very good clip, we were getting into the basketball. We were dictating what teams were doing vs. letting them be comfortable in their sets, getting back to picking up full court, pressure on the ball in the pick and roll, being more consistent with how aggressive we are early on."
5. NEXT MAGIC GAME
The Magic will return to the court tomorrow night against the Washington Wizards at 7:00 p.m. You can watch in-market on Bally Sports Florida or out-of-market on NBA League Pass.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
