The Orlando Magic are victorious after squeaking out a 125-121 win against the Miami Heat in their season-opening game.
The Magic came back from down 12 points to pull out the win, which required a lot of teamwork from a resilient group. Magic forward Paolo Banchero explained how the team was able to feed off of one another in the win.
“I just thought that we stayed together [and] kept each other even-keeled. Just [had] positive talk in the huddle, telling each other that we’re going to win this game and stay solid, get stops, and that’s what we did,” Banchero said.
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero reacts after a shot against the Miami Heat. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Banchero is in his fourth NBA season. He’s been with his fellow starters (Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr.) and head coach Jamahl Mosley since he was a rookie, so chemistry has formed over time.
Even with a player like Desmond Bane, who scored 23 points in his Magic debut, coming into the mix, the team’s chemistry stood out in the win.
“I think we’re a ‘together’ group,” Bane said postgame.
“You know, I mean, on the court and off the court, we trust each other. We’ve got multiple guys in different positions. Guys coming up and making big plays; Wendell (Carter Jr.) down the stretch. You know, like P (Paolo Banchero) said, we still [have] some things to iron out. It’s good though. You know, a close game. You learn from it. You get better from it. [I’m] happy to win the first one.”
It takes a while for teams to get in a groove with each other, especially early in the season. That’s why the Magic have an advantage and they need to take it as soon as possible.
While teams are still trying to figure out how to play with one another, the Magic have a head start of a few years. Bane and Tyus Jones have fit nicely into the mix throughout training camp and the preseason, so it’s all about getting them acclimated.
Bane and Jones are only going to feel more comfortable throughout the year, which will only make the Magic stronger over time.
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