After a controversial end to a bitter loss in Miami, it's onto Orlando, where the Magic just beat the Warriors for their second win of the season!
Previously On...
Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award - Dwayne "Still getting paid by Vlade" Dedmon. Two rebounds shy of a double-double in 16 minutes off the bench, Dedmon showcased the combination of interior size and outside shooting that the Kings thought they were getting when he was the centerpiece of Sacramento's big free agent spending spree a couple of years ago. Two teams later, he's the Heat's main backup big and he got most of that Vlade contract money so I guess the Dead Man won in the end.
The CoJo Award - Terence Davis. After a strong start to the season in which he was pretty much the only bench player for the Kings not playing like he was drunk, TD's play has fallen off a cliff as of late. Against the Heat, TD played solid defense (even including the final possession where Herro nailed a three after taking a slightly less than legal approach) but was a total nonfactor offensively. At least he hit his free throws?
Rafer Alston And-1 - Tyler Herro for his ability to somehow stretch two steps into five without getting called for it.
WTF Moment of the Night- The end.
Random Internet Talking Head KANGZ Take of the Game
We're Talking Basketball
Seeing as how I'm up against a deadline for work stuff and how I'm only writing this five hours before the game today, I'm gonna have to keep this short-er.
As is with the case with pretty much every single Magic team since the days of Shaq, the Orlando Magic's offensive production lags far behind their defensive statistics. Unlike previous years, there's actually a lot of offensive potential for them to work with and not just ten 6'8" dudes with long arms who don't know how to shoot or dribble a basketball (I'm looking at you, young Aaron Gordon). That isn't to say that this Magic team is lacking for length (Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke, Caleb Houstan, and -assuming he's still alive- Johnathan Isaac all fit the mold of 4/3 swingmen with great measurements that surely made John Hammond creme his pants at the combine) but they've assembled a roster of bigs who can kinda shoot and guards who can also do the same in theory to go with first overall pick Paolo Banchero, who is putting up offensive numbers not seem since Lebron (although he has cooled off a bit since starting really strong).
The son of former Monarch Rhonda Banchero is currently putting up 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He unfortunately isn't at the five assist per game mark, which means he sucks since all Kings fans know that 20/5/5 is what truly matters when it is all said and done.
The Magic have been experimenting with big lineups in recent games with Banchero starting as a 6'10" small forward alongside 7'2 walking injury risk Bol Bol, 6'10" center Wendell Carter Jr., and 6'9" Franz Wagner at shooting guard. The only normal sized player in the lineup is Jalen Suggs, who at 6'4" merely possess above average size for a point guard. Suggs was much heralded as the "can't miss top four pick" who slid to five in last year's draft but then went on to struggle for most of his rookie season while the guy the Raptors picked instead of him (Scottie Barnes) turned out to be the Rookie of the Year. If there's a breakout Magic player from last year's draft, it's noted Monte McNair draft crush Franz Wagner, who hasn't been as good as he was advertised on defense but has been a jack of all trades on offense. Bol Bol is finally not injured (for now) and has supplanted Mo Bamba on as Orlando's designated "high upside giant dude".
While Sabonis has struggled with size this season, the gigantic Magic lineup does lack a certain amount of girthiness. Even though Paolo is built like a truck, he's still a rookie with the usual rookie pitfalls. Wendell Carter has never really turned into a plus defender eve if he has turned out to have a better NBA career than his Duke front court mate.
Keegan gets his chance to have a bounce back game. The last time he and Paolo faced off in summer league, Paolo won in sudden death overtime, even though Keegan had the best highlight of all with his coldblooded buzzer beater to get the game to OT. With the Magic big in the middle, it is imperative that Keegs get his shot going from the outside.
On the guard front, I just want to see Davon do what he does best: Make Jalen Suggs's life hell.
The Magic are also potentially missing half their roster.
Injury Report
Kings-
De'Aaron Fox - QUESTIONABLE (ate TEN turkey legs at Disney World)
Magic-
Cole Anthony - OUT (Swarmed by locusts)
Markelle Fultz - OUT (Preemptively ducking De'Aaron Fox)
Gary Harris - OUT (Named after pet from SpongeBob)
Johnathan Isaac - OUT (Focused on next speaking arrangement)
Terrence Ross - Day-to-Day (Playing advanced copy of God of War)
Mo Wagner - OUT (stomach pain due to alien larvae in gut)
Final Prediction
De'Aaron playing or not changes everything but as of the time of writing there's no word on his availability. Even without him playing, if the Kings give the effort they gave against the Heat today against the Magic, they still should have enough in the tank to win against a Magic team capable of playing really big but also capable of playing really bad.
Kings 109, Magic 103
Previously On...
Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award - Dwayne "Still getting paid by Vlade" Dedmon. Two rebounds shy of a double-double in 16 minutes off the bench, Dedmon showcased the combination of interior size and outside shooting that the Kings thought they were getting when he was the centerpiece of Sacramento's big free agent spending spree a couple of years ago. Two teams later, he's the Heat's main backup big and he got most of that Vlade contract money so I guess the Dead Man won in the end.
The CoJo Award - Terence Davis. After a strong start to the season in which he was pretty much the only bench player for the Kings not playing like he was drunk, TD's play has fallen off a cliff as of late. Against the Heat, TD played solid defense (even including the final possession where Herro nailed a three after taking a slightly less than legal approach) but was a total nonfactor offensively. At least he hit his free throws?
Rafer Alston And-1 - Tyler Herro for his ability to somehow stretch two steps into five without getting called for it.
WTF Moment of the Night- The end.
Random Internet Talking Head KANGZ Take of the Game
We're Talking Basketball
Seeing as how I'm up against a deadline for work stuff and how I'm only writing this five hours before the game today, I'm gonna have to keep this short-er.
As is with the case with pretty much every single Magic team since the days of Shaq, the Orlando Magic's offensive production lags far behind their defensive statistics. Unlike previous years, there's actually a lot of offensive potential for them to work with and not just ten 6'8" dudes with long arms who don't know how to shoot or dribble a basketball (I'm looking at you, young Aaron Gordon). That isn't to say that this Magic team is lacking for length (Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke, Caleb Houstan, and -assuming he's still alive- Johnathan Isaac all fit the mold of 4/3 swingmen with great measurements that surely made John Hammond creme his pants at the combine) but they've assembled a roster of bigs who can kinda shoot and guards who can also do the same in theory to go with first overall pick Paolo Banchero, who is putting up offensive numbers not seem since Lebron (although he has cooled off a bit since starting really strong).
The son of former Monarch Rhonda Banchero is currently putting up 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He unfortunately isn't at the five assist per game mark, which means he sucks since all Kings fans know that 20/5/5 is what truly matters when it is all said and done.
The Magic have been experimenting with big lineups in recent games with Banchero starting as a 6'10" small forward alongside 7'2 walking injury risk Bol Bol, 6'10" center Wendell Carter Jr., and 6'9" Franz Wagner at shooting guard. The only normal sized player in the lineup is Jalen Suggs, who at 6'4" merely possess above average size for a point guard. Suggs was much heralded as the "can't miss top four pick" who slid to five in last year's draft but then went on to struggle for most of his rookie season while the guy the Raptors picked instead of him (Scottie Barnes) turned out to be the Rookie of the Year. If there's a breakout Magic player from last year's draft, it's noted Monte McNair draft crush Franz Wagner, who hasn't been as good as he was advertised on defense but has been a jack of all trades on offense. Bol Bol is finally not injured (for now) and has supplanted Mo Bamba on as Orlando's designated "high upside giant dude".
While Sabonis has struggled with size this season, the gigantic Magic lineup does lack a certain amount of girthiness. Even though Paolo is built like a truck, he's still a rookie with the usual rookie pitfalls. Wendell Carter has never really turned into a plus defender eve if he has turned out to have a better NBA career than his Duke front court mate.
Keegan gets his chance to have a bounce back game. The last time he and Paolo faced off in summer league, Paolo won in sudden death overtime, even though Keegan had the best highlight of all with his coldblooded buzzer beater to get the game to OT. With the Magic big in the middle, it is imperative that Keegs get his shot going from the outside.
On the guard front, I just want to see Davon do what he does best: Make Jalen Suggs's life hell.
The Magic are also potentially missing half their roster.
Injury Report
Kings-
De'Aaron Fox - QUESTIONABLE (ate TEN turkey legs at Disney World)
Magic-
Cole Anthony - OUT (Swarmed by locusts)
Markelle Fultz - OUT (Preemptively ducking De'Aaron Fox)
Gary Harris - OUT (Named after pet from SpongeBob)
Johnathan Isaac - OUT (Focused on next speaking arrangement)
Terrence Ross - Day-to-Day (Playing advanced copy of God of War)
Mo Wagner - OUT (stomach pain due to alien larvae in gut)
Final Prediction
De'Aaron playing or not changes everything but as of the time of writing there's no word on his availability. Even without him playing, if the Kings give the effort they gave against the Heat today against the Magic, they still should have enough in the tank to win against a Magic team capable of playing really big but also capable of playing really bad.
Kings 109, Magic 103
