The Orlando Magic’s new-found success has even translated to the road, as their six-game winning streak now faces a significant test against the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at Inglewood, Calif.
After five straight home victories, the Magic hit the road Monday and earned a 109-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns when Franz Wagner matched a season high with 32 points and Anthony Black added 20. The duo combined for 17 assists.
After losing all five games of a road trip that started the day before Halloween, Orlando is no longer haunted by that abysmal slide, even as star Paolo Banchero continues to miss time with an oblique injury.
The Magic have leaned into their defense, with all six victories in the winning streak coming as their opponent was held under 100 points.
“That’s kind of our team identity, and that’s what we start with first in the locker room is defense,” Black said. “The guards have been pressuring the ball a lot, and the bigs and wings have been doing a good job in the paint helping us protect the rim and just helping clean up our mistakes.”
The success is drawing attention with Wagner named the most recent Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The fourth-year player is averaging a career-best 22.9 points on the season and 29.0 points with 6.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists during the winning streak.
Wednesday’s game is Orlando’s first of a back-to-back in the Los Angeles area, with a matchup Thursday against the Lakers before a home date against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
The Clippers also take pride in their defense and have used it to fashion a five-game home winning streak after a 102-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday. Los Angeles led by as many as 15 in the second half and 10 in the fourth quarter before the Warriors settled into another comeback attempt.
Golden State even had a pair of chances from 3-point range in the closing seconds with a chance to tie the game, including one from Stephen Curry, before Los Angeles walked away with the victory.
Norman Powell scored 23 points for the Clippers despite dealing with hamstring discomfort that developed in the first quarter. James Harden scored 12 points with 16 assists, while playing through an illness, and Ivica Zubac had 17 rebounds.
“Just coming back home, finding ourselves again,” Harden said of consecutive victories following a 0-3 road trip. “Holding that team, which they’ve been playing pretty well, under 100 points, hopefully we can build on that and keep going.”
After losing their first four games in their new arena, the Clippers have found a recipe for success without star Kawhi Leonard, who has not played at all this season and is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
“We gotta keep our composure, and we gotta play basketball the right way,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “Get to our next actions, don’t make it a dribble fest.”
Powell is scoring a team-best 23.3 points per game, while Zubac pulls down 12.4 rebounds. Harden has averaged 20.1 points and 9.0 assists from the point-guard spot.
–Field Level Media