Magic Preach Urgency, Response in Practice Prior to Facing Warriors

ORLANDO, Fla. – It's not often the Orlando Magic opt to forgo a day of rest between home games and go through a full, intense practice session.

It's also not often you're dismissed by 40 points on your home floor by another NBA team – even if they are a legitimate title contender to the caliber of this year's Cleveland Cavaliers.

So with intention to wash away the sour taste of Tuesday's lopsided result, the Magic got right back to work Wednesday afternoon at AdventHealth Training Center ahead of Thursday's matchup with the Golden State Warriors.

"Our focus was great," coach Jamahl Mosley said. "Our energy level was right where it needed to be, feeling the sting of last night but also understanding we had work to do in order to fix whatever we didn't do correctly yesterday."

Because the Cavaliers are in a class separate from most of the league (including the Magic), Mosley said Tuesday night that jumping to overreact to the result wasn't in his team's best interest. That same sentiment reverberated throughout his team.

"It's part of the season," Franz Wagner said Wednesday. "You just try to learn from it. The good thing about the NBA is that we play tomorrow again and have another shot at it. With every game, I just try to take it one game at a time and use it as an opportunity to get better – for myself and as a team. I think that way, you don't get too high or too low."

Added Wagner: "I think everybody understands the urgency that's needed right now, obviously after the way the game went. That was a good step today, and obviously have a big game tomorrow."

At this point in the Magic's year, they're all big. Orlando began the year 16-9, but they're 13-22 since – including 9-17 since 2025 began.

Now, the Magic sit seventh in the East at 29-31 – a game up on trailers Atlanta and Miami but now four games back of Detroit in the sixth spot. As of now, Orlando would have to secure a playoff series by advancing through the Play-In Tournament, which involves seeds No. 7-10 in each conference.

When the Warriors visit the Kia Center on Thursday evening, they do so riding the wave of a rejuvenated Jimmy Butler – the formerly disgruntled six-time All-Star acquired at the trade deadline from Miami. Since then, pairing Butler with Steph Curry and Draymond Green has powered Golden State to 6-1 since the move.

In that time, Golden State boasts the NBA's second-best net rating – trailing only the Cavaliers. They flew cross-country for their only visit to Orlando this regular season after trouncing Charlotte by 36 in San Francisco Tuesday.

Normally, the rest and travel advantage would be an attractive option for Orlando to side with. Their required urgency didn't see it fit.

"When you don't have that many days to do it, you always want to remember that you want to be playing your best basketball in March and April," Mosley said. "In order to do that, sometimes you have to get on the floor and get after it [in] real-time, real-game speed and understand exactly, yes, we do have games coming up, but I think the more you can prepare at game speed, [it] makes you more prepared for the game."

Regarding injury updates, Mosley said there is no change to the status of Jalen Suggs, who remains a participant in only non-contact capacities of practice. He will miss his 14th straight game with a left quad contusion.

Cole Anthony hobbled off the floor in the third quarter Tuesday after hyperextending his left knee, and he also did not practice Wednesday. But, Mosley said he doesn't anticipate Anthony will miss much time with the injury, and they'll continue monitoring him daily. He is questionable for the Warriors contest.

Following last Friday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies – disappointing in its own right – Orlando emphasized the need to rebound quickly. They followed with a 20-point victory over the Hornets, which, after a slow start, showed more of the glimpses the Magic are trying to replicate.

"You can't sit in that too long," Mosley said, referencing both the Cavs and Grizzlies losses. "You have to understand it stings, it hurts, [whether] you lose by one or you lose by 40. They all sting. They all hurt. You don't want to lose games.

"But the other side of it is are you sticking with the process of the work that you need to do to prepare yourself for every single one of those games, and did you learn from the previous ones, win or lose?"

That response reveals itself will reveal itself after Thursday's 7 p.m. tip.

DeVos Family, Central FL Kia Dealers make donation to OMYF

As part of the DeVos family’s continuing commitment to the Central Florida community, the DeVos Family Foundation will team up with Central Florida Kia Dealers to donate $260,000 collectively to the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), assisting at-risk youth in Central Florida, according to a release.

The DeVos family and Central Florida Kia Dealers will present their donation to the OMYF during a check presentation at the Sun., March 2 Magic vs. Raptors matchup during OMYF Night.

“On behalf of the DeVos Family Foundation, we are delighted to join our great partners at Central Florida Kia Dealers in making this very impactful donation to the Magic’s foundation,” said Magic chairman Dan DeVos. “This donation will continue to help the OMYF fund the amazing nonprofits that work with at-risk youth in the Central Florida community; ensuring that our youth and families can continue to have the support they need.”

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DeVos Family, Central FL Kia Dealers make donation to OMYF

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