{"id":444294,"date":"2026-11-01T13:52:24","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T13:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/444294\/"},"modified":"2026-11-01T13:52:24","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T13:52:24","slug":"orlando-magic-head-home-after-2-1-trip-host-boston-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/444294\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Magic head home after 2-1 trip, host Boston next"},"content":{"rendered":"

TORONTO \u2014 In the hours leading up to tip-off between the Magic<\/a> and Raptors<\/a> at Scotiabank Arena<\/a> on Friday night, Jase Richardson<\/a> received a text message from teammate Jalen Suggs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Suggs, who didn\u2019t travel with the team to Toronto<\/a> and instead returned to Orlando<\/a> to focus on treatment after suffering a mild right knee bone bruise last Sunday at New York, had a short message for the second-year guard ahead of his third-career NBA<\/a> start.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018Regardless of what you do, just make winning plays,’\u201d Richardson told the Orlando Sentinel in the locker room.<\/p>\n

Suggs\u2019 message not only resonated with Richardson but it also motivated him to follow the guidance closely. Although Richardson only scored four points in 33 minutes of action, he ended the game with a team-high plus-minus rating of plus-26 with six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.<\/p>\n

With Suggs and Paolo Banchero<\/a> (right low-grade high ankle sprain) unavailable, the Magic found a way to win their first NBA Cup matchup of the season, 121-114, over the Raptors, just two nights after they lost at Toronto by 30 points.<\/p>\n

It was a bounce-back performance for both the Magic and Richardson, who picked up three fouls in four minutes during Wednesday\u2019s contest against the Raptors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether that\u2019s rebounding, defending, being a playmaker or scoring, I was just trying to help my team,\u201d Richardson said.<\/p>\n

While the motivation of Richardson\u2019s efforts towards the win can be traced to a pre-game text, Orlando\u2019s overall persistence and toughness Friday night goes back months under new coach Sean Sweeney<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sweeney had said since training camp that the team would be ready regardless of who was available on a nightly basis because of the amount of work and preparation done in the lead-up to the regular season. It would just be a matter of sticking to their team identity, one that\u2019s focused on playing connected and with proper pace and physicality on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n

On Friday night, the Magic shot 53% (18-for-34) from 3-point range and 25-for-29 at the free-throw line. In addition, they recorded seven more assists in their second game at Toronto compared to their first on Wednesday night (30 vs. 23).<\/p>\n

That ball movement led to a more balanced approach: Desmond Bane<\/a> notched 28 points, Franz Wagner<\/a> 26, Wendell Carter Jr. 20 and Anthony Black 13. Off the bench, Jamal Cain scored 13 points and Tristan da Silva added eight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like we had a really great training camp and I talked about that we have evidence of how tough we are and the grit that the group has,\u201d Wagner said. \u201cObviously we didn\u2019t show it every game so far in the season and we talked about that coming into the game. I think it\u2019s really good to see that we showed that today and that stuff\u2019s got to become a habit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think if it does, I think we\u2019ll be a really good team,\u201d Wagner added.<\/p>\n

The makings of a great team often involve help from key role players in addition to star power. Not only did Black sink three 3-pointers, but his third triple also put the team ahead for good with 6:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. In addition, he grabbed six rebounds and dished out 10 assists with one block in 31 minutes.<\/p>\n

It was a much stronger showing for Black compared to his performance Wednesday night (eight points and four turnovers in 22 minutes) that was preceded by him being away from the team for shootaround due to personal reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long week,\u201d Black told the Sentinel on Friday night. \u201cI wasn\u2019t with the team for those couple of days after the New York trip. And actually I got into (Toronto) a couple hours before the game. I had a little bit of a rough game on Wednesday but my teammates had my back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to get a couple of good nights of rest, get some good food and come out with more energy and more durability,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Black wasn\u2019t the only member of the Magic who played with more energy and intensity on Friday night.<\/p>\n

The team as a whole started off on the right foot and was able to sustain that style of play much of the evening. It\u2019s what allowed them to punch back after Toronto took a 102-100 lead with 8:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

From there, Wagner scored or assisted on 12 of Orlando\u2019s final 21 points as the team outscored the Raptors 21-12 across the final stretch of the fourth.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting this win made us 2-out-of-3 on the road and that\u2019s a pretty good trip playing against teams that will probably be in the playoffs and (have) good players,\u201d Black said. \u201cSo, we did a good job down two of our best players. Did a good job coming together. \u2026 It was just a good group effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Magic\u2019s next trick will be finding a way to win at home, something they failed to do in their first pair of games under Sweeney at Kia Center<\/a> against Atlanta and Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Orlando (2-3) hosts a back-to-back that starts Sunday afternoon versus Boston (4-1) and ends Monday night against Washington (3-3), two teams above the Magic in the Eastern Conference standings after Friday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re moving in the right direction right now,\u201d Richardson said. \u201cSo, (we\u2019ve got to) just keep this momentum going and go win at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Up next<\/p>\n

What: Magic vs. Celtics<\/p>\n

When: 3:30 p.m., Sunday, Kia Center<\/p>\n

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