4 Winners, 2 Losers From Magic Preseason Win vs. Grizzlies

The Orlando Magic are 1-0 in the preseason after beating the Memphis Grizzlies 122-118 inside the FedEx Forum. The Magic really only played their starting lineup in the first half, when they went into the locker room with a three-point lead.

They saw some positives and negatives with their core part of the rotation, and it's something they can build on for the next couple of games before the regular season begins. Here's a look at the winners and losers from the contest against the Grizzlies.

Winner: Tristan da Silva

Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson defends. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tristan da Silva led the Magic in scoring with 19 points on 6 of 16 shooting, including 4 of 10 from downtown, in 25 minutes of action. Nobody saw the court more than da Silva, and he made the most of his opportunities. The fact that he took 10 three-point shots is definitely a bit of a shake-up from where he was last season.

Orlando's new system under head coach Sean Sweeney should prioritize spacing a lot more often than it did last season. Out of the 87 shot attempts the Magic took against the Grizzlies, 45 of them came from distance. If the Magic are going to become a stronger three-point shooting team, da Silva is going to have to be one of those players taking that jump. As showcased in Memphis, he is making those improvements.

Winner: Wendell Carter Jr.

Orlando Magic center-forward Wendell Carter Jr. poses for a picture during media day. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of three-point shots, the game started with a Wendell Carter three-pointer from the corner. That could be a strong tactic in the offense moving forward. Carter made five of his seven shots from the floor, including three of four from distance, and finished the night as a +17 to lead the team.

Carter had a strong postseason series against the Detroit Pistons, and he's hoping to utilize some momentum built from those seven games. In some ways, he is the most underrated part of the Magic's starting lineup. If he can provide the spacing on offense and the physicality on defense like he did against the Grizzlies, they should be in great shape.

Winner: Paolo Banchero & Franz Wagner

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner reacts to a shot by forward Paolo Banchero. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Magic are going to live or die by their two star forwards, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The pair dropped 12 of the team's 35 assists during the game in the first half, which is a strong sign that they are making the right decision when the ball is in their hands. That was a strong sign of what's to come from the dynamic duo.

Loser: Also Paolo Banchero & Franz Wagner

It was hard to come up with any losers for this article, and I might be cheating here, but there were some aspects of Banchero and Wagner's game that could be improved, most notably their three-point shooting. The two combined to go 0-5 from downtown and only made 4 of their 14 attempts from the field.

Banchero was able to get to the line on five separate occasions, knocking down 7 of his 10 free throws. His ability to draw fouls is something the Magic have relied on in the past, and it should remain part of the team's offensive identity.

That being said, they're probably taking a couple more shots in the gym between now and their next preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET inside Rocket Arena.

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