Round 3 of Heat-Magic Will Test Each Team’s Belief

ORLANDO, Fla. – Less than a week removed from their historic rally against the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic look to improve to 3-0 this season against their Florida rivals. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET Thursday at the Kia Center.

On Dec. 21, the Magic were missing seven players but overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter — among the largest, single-game turnarounds in the 36-year history of the franchise. Cole Anthony, a backup guard who at times this season has struggled for consistent playing time, scored 35 points.

The Magic, who followed up that Christmas miracle with another second-half comeback on Monday to beat the Boston Celtics, are 19-12 and fourth in the Eastern Conference. Miami is 14-13, sixth in the East.

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Continue finding offense

Every night, the Magic amplify the principle that their defensive identity remains unchanged regardless of who’s on the floor.

On offense, though? That’s a different story.

Anthony had his career night against the Heat. Two nights later, rookie wing Tristan da Silva and Trevelin Queen, a 27-year-old journeyman making his first career start, combined for 35 points in the win over the Celtics. Since the injuries to Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs has led the Magic in scoring in two of the three full games that he’s played.

What doesn’t matter so much is who’s doing the scoring for the Magic. Instead, it’s that they’re finding enough points to compete.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley often defaults to the mantra that his team’s wins right now are by committee. They’re getting contributions from unlikely cast members — a testament to the defensive resolve and leadership that have got them this far.

The numbers confirm that the Magic’s margin between victory and defeat is thin.

Orlando’s 107.3 points/game rank 26th in the NBA. The Magic’s shooting percentage is five points better in their 19 wins — or the difference of three or four more made baskets.

Orlando’s defense allows 103.9 points a game — second-best in the NBA. Holding the Celtics to that number required a heroic effort to limit Boston’s league-leading 3-point production.

The Magic’s defense will always be a reliable lifeline. With three of their four leading scorers lost to injuries, finding the points to win is an open question every night.

Keep believing

In the prior meeting with Miami less than a week ago, Orlando was rewarded for never subscribing to the theory that their deficit was too large. Overwhelmed with injuries and trusting in reserves, the Magic’s belief system propelled them past every obstacle.

Orlando believed that Franz Wagner could step up when Paolo Banchero went down. They’re trusting Queen and Anthony to close games against the defending champions. Multiple times this season, they’ve overcome 15-point deficits to steal victories.

“We gotta make [it] a dogfight, and that’s us. We’re dogs,” center Goga Bitadze said after the Magic’s win over Boston. “As soon as they step into that game, that’s where we want them. We got them there, and we walked them down. Without so many guys, we never stopped believing.”

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