Magic Start Hot, Finish Strong in Win vs. Grizzlies
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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is smiling ear to ear Tuesday night after a 109-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at Amway Center.
Unlike the first three preseason contests, the Magic started off hot and fed off the energy of the home crowd, racing out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter.
The Magic was led by No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, who scored 17 points in his first game in front of the Orlando fans. Banchero was one of seven players to score nine points or more during the game.
"It felt like home," Banchero said. "That sounds corny, but just being on the home floor, having fans in the tunnel cheering for us felt really welcoming."
Despite the fast start, the Grizzlies never fully went away, cutting the 14-point first quarter deficit in half by halftime. The flow of the game went back and forth between the two teams throughout the rest of the game, but the Magic pulled away with an 11-point lead with just six minutes to go.
Orlando's second unit played a big role in the beginning of the quarter in pulling further away. Caleb Houstan and Bol Bol were standouts. The pair combined for 22 points, while Bol was a point and rebound away from a double-double in 20 minutes.
"Caleb came in off the bench and he wasn't afraid," Mosley said. "He did a heck of a job [with] offensive rebounding, knowing when to cut, knowing when to move."
Then Ja Morant went off.
Morant scored seven of the team's next 10 points to cut the deficit to a single point. Morant scored 23 points throughout the game, while Desmond Bane led all scorers with 33.
But in the final minutes, the Magic held its own. Franz Wagner drilled a three and picked up a crucial steal on the ensuing possession to seal the win.
"Those are such teachable moments for our guys," Mosley said. "Our fans pushed us through."
The Magic is back in action Friday night when it hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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