MINNEAPOLIS — The Magic constructed their largest lead of the sport Friday night time at Goal Heart when Franz Wagner scored the primary factors of the fourth quarter in opposition to Minnesota.
Orlando had ended the third body on a 17-3 run, led by 11 because of Wagner’s layup, and was cruising on the second night time of a back-to-back after defeating the Pelicans in New Orleans lower than 24 hours earlier.
Then got here the Timberwolves.
Led by a surge of scoring from All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards, All-Defensive ahead Jaden McDaniels and 2021 league champion Donte DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves outscored Orlando 40-24 within the closing 12 minutes, recording their thirteenth 10-plus-point comeback victory of the season.
Minnesota improved to 5-0 when scoring at the least 40 factors within the fourth quarter.
“We’ve obtained to take out the psychological lapses on each ends of the ball,” Magic heart Wendell Carter Jr. informed reporters within the locker room after the 118-111 loss, Orlando’s eighth in its final 12 video games. “Offensively, we had 111, which is nice for us. Our protection simply wasn’t. … Down the stretch we didn’t do a ok job.
“We had some expensive turnovers down the stretch, together with myself, that fueled their run,” he added.
The victory for Minnesota — its seventh straight in March — secured the season sweep in opposition to the Magic, marking the primary time the Timberwolves achieved such a feat since 2016-17 and simply the fourth time total within the collection for the reason that franchises fashioned 1989-90.
And for Orlando, the loss solely provides to the growing actuality that the group will probably must battle its means by means of the Play-In Match as a way to return to the playoffs.
The No. 8 Magic (31-37) entered Saturday’s slate 1.5 video games again of No. 7 Atlanta (32-35) and 6.5 video games behind No. 6 Detroit (37-30). In the meantime, No. 9 Miami (29-37) sat one recreation again of the Magic whereas No. 10 Chicago (28-38) was two behind.
Seeds 7-10 in every convention compete within the Play-In for the Nos. 7 and eight seeds within the playoffs.
“We’re type of previous the ethical victories and issues like that,” Carter stated. “It’s nut-cutting time. We need to win as many video games as we will going into this Play-In recreation.
“It’s about taking as many video games as we will.”
Taking as many video games as they will within the closing 14 contests of the common season should embrace the kind of efficiency Paolo Banchero put collectively at Minnesota.
The 6-10 All-Star ahead compiled 43 factors with 10 rebounds, marking the third time for the reason that All-Star break he’s crossed 40-plus.
The issue? Orlando misplaced all three of these contests, together with Feb. 27 vs. the Warriors and March 4 in opposition to Toronto.
The Magic fell to 5-6 when Banchero scores 30 or extra factors this season.
“From the primary time he placed on a Magic jersey to now, we knew he was going to be a star on this league,” Carter stated. “He’s proven it night-in and night-out. As a supporting solid, we’ve obtained to do a greater job of relieving a few of the stress off him.
“Paolo is a star on this league and he’s going to be one of many faces on this league for a few years to come back,” Carter added.
Banchero will want extra from his supporting solid beginning Sunday at Cleveland.
The Cavaliers (56-10), who’ve misplaced simply 10 video games this season, clobbered Orlando in a 40-point win Feb. 25 at Kia Heart on TNT. The victory was a part of Cleveland’s present league-leading 16-game win streak.
Sunday’s assembly between the 2 sides that went the gap within the best-of-seven first-round playoff collection final yr will as soon as once more be televised nationally (ABC).
“It’s going to be a hell of a problem there in Cleveland,” Banchero stated. “They’re taking part in rather well proper now. They kicked our butt final time we performed them on TV, so hopefully we’ve got a greater effort.”
Added ahead Franz Wagner: “This can be a robust highway journey however going into Cleveland with the best way final season ended, it’s all the time a little bit bit additional. We’ve performed fairly effectively to this point on the highway journey, so hopefully we will end it out on a great word.”
Wagner shared within the locker room Friday night time that Magic guard Jalen Suggs, whose season ended March 4 after he underwent profitable arthroscopic surgical procedure to take away a cartilage fragment in his left knee, has been lively within the group’s textual content group chat and has known as his teammates usually after video games.
“He’s doing effectively,” Wagner stated of Suggs, who was obtainable just for a career-low 35 contests this season.
However with out Suggs and Franz Wagner’s older brother — NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months candidate Moe Wagner, whose season resulted in December on account of a left torn ACL — the Magic know they face a tall order in opposition to the Cavs, who common an NBA-best 122.8 factors.
Orlando can also be conscious that point is operating out for the group to make a playoff push with the tip of the common season lower than a month away (April 13).
“One factor I’ve realized about this league is that this group received’t be collectively,” Carter stated. “Whether or not that’s a few of the coaches, a few of the gamers, a few of us received’t be right here [in the future]. That is the final time we’ll all be in the identical locker room on the identical time.
“We’ve simply obtained to go on the market and simply play collectively, understanding that these are extra teammates to me,” he added. “These are my brothers. With a lot adversity that we’ve confronted this season, to go on the market and simply give it are all is the psychological strategy we will take recreation to recreation.”
Jason Beede will be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up subsequent …
Magic at Cavaliers
When: 1, Sunday, Rocket Enviornment
TV: ABC
