The night the Magic lost to the Pistons by 19 points inside Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 29, the contest ended up serving as a turning point of sorts for both sides.
Orlando, which started the season 1-4, went onto win 10 of its next 14 games while Detroit strung together 12 straight victories before its streak came to an end Wednesday at Boston.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJamahl Mosley‘s squad (11-8) heads back to Detroit (15-3) on Friday for an important NBA Cup contest that will determine the winner of East Group B in the league’s in-season tournament.
Orlando could still advance to the knockout rounds of the Cup with a loss, but there are five teams vying for three spots beyond the Magic: Cleveland, Miami, New York, Milwaukee and Detroit. Only the Raptors, who won East Group A, have secured their spot in the Cup quarterfinals.
An X-factor for Friday’s matchup could be the play of Magic guard Anthony Black, who notched a career-high 31 points off the bench Tuesday night at Philadelphia.
When the Magic fell at Detroit earlier in the season, Black was a non-factor when he shot 1 for 6 from 3-point range for just 10 points in 24 minutes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe past five games, when Orlando went 4-1, the third-year pro has averaged 17.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
“Seeing his growth and his progression, honestly for me has been self-fulfilling,” Magic guard Jalen Suggs said about Black after the Magic defeated the Sixers earlier this week. “Since the moment he has come into this league, he’s been like my little brother. And to watch him grow not only on the court but off the court, and do elite things.
“I love that on a national stage with everybody watching that everyone got to see the work he’s been putting in, so shoutout AB,” Suggs added.
Back in Orlando on Thursday, members of the Magic organization, including president of business operations Charlie Freeman, managing director Ryan DeVos and his wife Michelle, vice chair Alex Martins, general manager Anthony Parker, Magic community ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw, and other team volunteers served Thanksgiving breakfast to 400 residents at the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and the more than 100 unsheltered individuals from the community.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMosley covered the cost of this year’s breakfast, which marked the 33rd time the event has taken place around the corner from Kia Center.
“It’s been an amazing tradition,” Ryan DeVos said. “It’s truly an honor to be here every single year serving those in need.
“We’ve been, as a family, stewards and caretakers of this organization for the last 34 years and we’re very closely aligned with the advent of this tradition. So, it’s been pretty amazing.”
Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]
Up next …
Magic at Pistons
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Little Caesars Arena
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida
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