Paolo Banchero has skilled many firsts since the Orlando Magic chosen him with the No. 1 choose in June’s NBA draft.
His first summer-league sport, media day and apply throughout coaching camp have been notable moments.
Now he can add his preseason NBA debut to the checklist — Monday evening’s 109-97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Clearly, it’s one thing I’ve been ready for for some time,” Banchero mentioned forward of Monday’s sport. “Excited to get on an NBA courtroom in an NBA enviornment and simply play a sport. I’ve been ready for a very long time. Summer time league was a step, but it surely wasn’t the true factor. So, glad to be right here.”
Banchero had a number of highlight-reel-worthy performs, together with a dunk over John Konchar and Brandon Clarke late within the second quarter.
However like most of the Magic gamers, he struggled scoring effectively (8 factors on 2-of-9 capturing) and turnovers (4).
Orlando completed with 25 giveaways, resulting in 33 Grizzlies factors.
Along with the already-known absences of Markelle Fultz (left massive toe), Gary Harris (left knee) and Jonathan Isaac (left knee), Admiral Schofield (sore left knee) and Franz Wagner (relaxation after EuroBasket play with Germany males’s nationwide basketball staff) have been dominated out for Monday.
“Quite a lot of that's monitoring his workload,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned of Wagner. “He averaged about 29 minutes over there and simply getting acclimated again to what we’re doing right here. Ensuring we’re staying on prime of it.”
Banchero, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. began towards Memphis.
Anthony led Orlando in scoring with 17 factors (6-10, 4-8 on 3s) to go along with 5 rebounds. Moe Wagner (15 factors, 4 rebounds, 2 steals), R.J. Hampton (14 factors, 7 assists) and Terrence Ross (12 factors) led a Magic bench unit that saved the sport aggressive.
The Grizzlies, who led by as a lot as 19, have been paced by All-NBA guard Ja Morant (22 factors, 7 assists) and second-year ahead Santi Aldama (21 factors, 6 rebounds). Memphis held Orlando to 39.3% capturing (35-89).
Monday’s sport was the primary of 5 preseason video games the Magic will play earlier than kicking off the common season towards the Pistons on Oct. 19 in Detroit.
Orlando will play the Spurs in San Antonio Thursday in its subsequent preseason sport earlier than matching up towards the Mavericks in Dallas Friday.
The Magic wrap up their preseason slate with house video games vs. the Grizzlies (Oct. 11) and Cleveland Cavaliers (Oct. 14).
For second-year coach Mosley, preseason is about experimenting with completely different lineups and combos whereas additionally persevering with to put the muse that was began final season and seeing the place gamers’ understandings of the staff’s ideas are.
“It’s our means to see in the event that they’re greedy the issues we’ve requested from them from final yr,” Mosley mentioned. “The extent of consistency we’re asking them to play with; how they do issues from what we realized final yr. That’s the thought of leveling up — ensuring they perceive what we put in and how briskly they will choose it up.”
Radio announcer
Forward of Monday’s sport, the Magic formally named Jake Chapman as Orlando’s radio play-by-play announcer.
Chapman started his profession with the Magic in 2006 as a radio intern earlier than serving because the staff’s radio producer from 2009-14.
He’s getting into his tenth season with the Magic after stints because the pregame and postgame host and government producer of the Detroit Pistons Radio Community and a producer and host for 92.3 The Fan and the Cleveland Browns Radio Community.
Chapman, who returned to the Magic in 2019, additionally serves because the staff’s radio producer, pregame and postgame radio host for the Magic Radio Community.
This text first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Electronic mail Khobi Worth at khprice@orlandosentinel.com or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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