Beyond learning fresh offensive and defensive systems under first-time NBA head coach Sean Sweeney, one of the Magic‘s main missions of the preseason was to stay healthy.
Although Orlando held on late Friday night, 136-115, against its in-state rival Heat at Kia Center, it also saw three players, including forward Franz Wagner, exit the team’s fourth and final preseason contest and not return because of injury.
Wagner left the exhibition because of right shoulder soreness. Jase Richardson exited with a sore lower back, and Noah Penda because of right hamstring tightness. Magic coach Sean Sweeney said post-game all three players would be re-evaluated.
The Magic were already without Anthony Black (right hamstring sprain) and Jonathan Isaac entering the game. Meanwhile, the Heat were missing Bam Adebayo (right groin inflammation) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (rest) on the road. Neither team played its starters in the fourth quarter.
“I thought we did a pretty good job of trying to get acclimated to the game,” Sweeney said. “Miami does a good job of pushing the pace in transition, so it’s important to do a good job getting back. And I think as the game went on, we got a little bit more acclimated to their speed.”
“Then offensively, we did a pretty good job of sharing the ball again and tagging that way,” Sweeney added.
The Magic overcame a 12-point first-quarter deficit to lead by as many as 23 points in the second half. Paolo Banchero (24 points) and Desmond Bane (23) combined for 47 points in the 21-point victory.
The victory marked Orlando’s eighth straight over Miami dating back to last regular season and the past preseason.
After wrapping up the preseason Friday night with a 3-1 record, the Magic look to get healthier as they make final preparations to open the regular season Wednesday at home against the Hawks.
Starting 5
While the Heat were missing two regular starters, the Magic opened Friday night with their main five for the second exhibition in a row: Bane, Wagner, Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr.
Wagner scored Orlando’s first seven points of the game with a pair of quick drives to the basket and by converting three free throws after getting fouled on the perimeter.
Wagner, however, exited the game four minutes into the second half. He was grabbing at his right arm following a 3-point shot. He initially sat on the bench but later went to the locker room before returning to the bench again.
He was ruled out of the contest late in the third quarter because of right shoulder soreness. Wagner ended with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists in 19 minutes.
After the Magic opened 1-for-9 from beyond the arc, it was Bane who picked up the slack in a major way from distance. All 15 of his first-half points came from 3-point range; he was 5-for-5 before the break.
Bane knocked down two more 3s in the second half to finish 7-for-12 from distance in 26 minutes.
“We did some things well, especially on the offensive end, but defensively, we knew they were going to be playing fast,” Bane said. “It was a big ‘guard the ball’ type night and I don’t think we did great with it. We did OK. (It was) good enough to win but not to our standard.”
“So, I’m sure coach will have some good film for us and we’ll clean it up and be better because of it,” Bane added.
Banchero wasn’t as efficient from the floor – he opened 3-for-8 on field goals – but he made his way to the free-throw line early and often while shooting 9-for-11 to help notch a team-high 16 points in the first half. He continued to get to the charity stripe when he ended 13-for-16 in 27 minutes.
More injury updates
Penda came up grabbing the back of his right leg and exited the game with 1:46 left in the first quarter following a steal and fast break down the court.
Penda, who dealt with a right hamstring strain in training camp, limped to the locker room and did not return to the game. Early in the second quarter, the Magic ruled him out because of right hamstring tightness.
The French forward had only played two minutes prior to the in-game injury.
Later in the game, Ricardson appeared to be in some pain when he came up grabbing the right side of his lower back in the middle of an offensive possession. Soon after, he walked off the court slowly and went to the locker room as well.
Richardson had recorded two rebounds and two assists in seven minutes before he was ruled out early in the third quarter due to a sore low back.
Welcome back, Vooch
After missing Orlando’s preseason home opener for rest purposes, veteran center Nikola Vucevic returned to the court Friday night.
Playing for the Magic for the first time in five years, Vucevic received a warm welcome from the Kia Center crowd.
He had an efficient start with 13 points in 17 first-half minutes by scoring quick baskets around the rim and converting at the free throw line. While he didn’t score again, Vucevic added seven rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.
“It felt great,” Vucevic said about playing for the Magic inside Kia Center again. “Honestly, (it) felt like I never really left. I felt pretty comfortable out there.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com