Orlando Magic will see to strengthen their grip on the Eastern Conference’s seventh playoffs on Thursday night when they visit Washington Wizards.
The magic has won all three meetings this season against the magicians.
Orlando (37-40) has improved his playoffs over the past month by winning eight of its last 13 games.
Magin has been led this season by the dynamic duo by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
In its third NBA season, Banchero has an average of 25.8 points in 43 matches. He is also bound with Wendell Carter Jr. For the team leadership in returns with 7.3 per match.
Wagner is on average 24.2 points per match of 46.2 shooting from the field to go together with a team high 4.8 assists.
Orlando comes from a victory 116-105 over San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. Banchero and Wagner scored 24 points per piece, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in 23.
“(Banchero and Wagner) can play by each other, play with each other,” said magical coach Jamahl Mosley. “(They) trust each other and communicate with each other. It is a beautiful thing to watch when these two can play and bounce each other and then help to continue to get the other guys in the team involved in sharing basketball, moving basketball and relying on the ball movement.”
Orlando exceeded San Antonio 37-21 during the fourth quarter.
“It was fantastic,” Mosley said of the last period. “Our ability to maintain our effort, rise in great moments. … Our toughness and focus level were great time.”
Washington (17-59) participates in Thursday’s competition after winning only two of its last ten games. The silver lining? One of these victories came on Wednesday evening, 116-111 over a Sacramento Kings team that fought for a place in the Western Conference Play-in tournament.
Jordan Poole led the magicians with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. Beginner Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson each counted 19 points, while Tristan Vukcevic added 17 points from the bench.
Washington has the second worst record in the NBA, behind Utah Jazz (16-61).
Poole has been Wizard’s engine this season. The 25-year-old guard is on average a team high 20.6 points and 4.5 assists in his second season in Washington.
“There is a lot of work that Jordan does in his craft on this game,” said Wizards coach Brian Keefe. “It’s really impressive to see him methodically work with this day after day after day. Rain, snow, snow, sunshine. Good play, bad play. He’s there every day. This doesn’t happen by mistake.”
The magicians have also received a large boost from the total election no. 2 in the draft to 2024, Alex Sarr, which an average of 13.0 points and 6.6 returns per match in 60 performances this season.
Sarr has double -digit scores in 10 of his last 12 matches.
Johnson finished with 19 points on Wednesday. He has at least 15 points in three of his last six matches.
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