Magic rally past Wizards for 5th consecutive victory
Throughout the NBA, winning road games that fall on the second night of a back-to-back is no easy task.
Less than half the league has an above-.500 record in those situations.
Accomplishing such a feat has been even tougher this season for the Magic, who had entered Wednesday’s 119-109 victory at the Wizards 1-7 in road contests with zero rest after defeating the Hornets at Spectrum Center on Tuesday.
That’s because Orlando (37-26) has faced an uphill battle each time playing on the second night of a back-to-back before the game even starts, largely due to the lack of availability of key rotational players.
Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury maintenance), Gary Harris (right calf injury maintenance) and Wendell Carter Jr. (sore right knee) all missed the game at Washington (9-53).
Although Isaac has been more available this season than the last three combined due to leg injuries, he recently suffered a left knee strain and Orlando has been cautious with him this year considering his past.
Harris previously missed 16 games (Dec. 27-29, Jan. 5-31) due to a right calf strain and hasn’t played on the second night of a back-to-back in three such instances since returning.
Carter sat out five games (Dec. 29, Jan. 5-13) due to right knee tendinitis.
The Magic generally have considered the long-term health of its roster when dealing with players who missed time earlier in the season because of injury.
“It’s very important,” coach Jamahl Mosley said pre-game Wednesday. “We talk about the health and longevity of these guys and we’ve got to make sure that we’re smart in our approach about that.”
Although Harris, Carter and Isaac were out, guard Markelle Fultz was available off the bench. He missed Tuesday’s game at Charlotte due to left knee injury maintenance.
He remained out of the starting lineup against the Wizards while Mosley returned to an opening group that saw a lot of time together earlier in the season — guards Anthony Black (eight points) and Jalen Suggs (19) plus forwards Franz Wagner (28) and Paolo Banchero (25) along with center Goga Bitadze (six).
Although the lineup had started 20 games together entering Wednesday, it hadn’t opened a game since Jan. 2 against the Warriors.
The Magic continue their three-game trip Friday against the Knicks (36-26).
Magic raise record amount at event for youth foundation
The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) raised more than $1 million during last weekend’s Orlando Wine Festival and Auction held at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando.
It marked the first time the organization raised more than $1 million at the fourth annual event that benefits at-risk children in Central Florida.
The event included live and e-auctions, as well as an outdoor festival featuring live music, local and celebrity chefs, wineries and food pavilions. Magic players and coaches all were in attendance to help create awareness on the needs in the community and the work the OMYF does each year.
Over the last 34 years, more than $29 million has been distributed to local nonprofit community organizations through the OMYF.
