Magic out to build on strong effort, keep Pelicans reeling
When the Orlando Magic put it altogether at the offensive end, they are one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
That's the view of center Wendell Carter Jr. ahead of the Magic's road clash with the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Carter scored a season-best 28 points and Desmond Bane had 27 as Orlando (41-36) absorbed a 51-point haul from Cooper Flagg to defeat the host Dallas Mavericks 138-127 on Friday.
The Magic shot 56% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range -- both just off the team's season highs -- while dishing out 35 assists in a clinical master class in offense.
"That's the beauty of this team," Carter said. "I think from top to bottom, we've got guys who can go get it any night. When we play free, we play open, we play as one unit, I think we're one of the most dangerous teams in the league. If we can continue to do that for these last couple of games, being in a good spot going into the playoffs, it will give us a really good chance."
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley was similarly impressed with the spark and selflessness he saw when his team had the ball in its hand.
"They did a great job of communicating with each other," he said. "Their talk, their ability to share the basketball -- you talk about 35 assists -- moving it, sharing it, trusting the pass, playing with the right style of pace of basketball and really just trusting each other. That was great to see."
Mosley also singled Carter out for special praise after the big man produced his best performance of the season.
"It's big time," Mosley said. "His presence at the rim is great for us. ... He's one of the most selfless guys we have, because he's trying to do the right thing by this team. When he does that, the guys celebrate him to make sure he's getting touches on the back end as well."
The Magic, who entered Saturday a half-game behind the eighth-place Charlotte Hornets, are safely in the play-in tournament and still with a slim shot at a top-six berth and automatic entry into the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Pelicans (25-53), long out of postseason contention, have a more immediate, short-term goal -- win their next two at home, starting with Orlando.
New Orleans crashed to its seventh straight defeat when it frittered away a 55-38 second-quarter lead to succumb 117-113 to the lowly Sacramento Kings. Jeremiah Fears poured in 28 points off the bench and Saddiq Bey added 20 for Sacramento.
Pelicans interim coach James Borrego was critical of his side's defense, which deteriorated after a promising start.
"Bottom line, we gave up three 30-point quarters defensively," he said. "I thought that was the game. ... Bottom line, we just didn't guard. Second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter, 34, 30, 32, that's just not going to be good enough."
Borrego wants to see more urgency as his team embarks on its last two home games of the season.
"Just keep competing," he said. "That's the bottom line -- just compete, sprint through the finish line, don't give in. We'll go home in front of our crowd for two games and compete. The goal at home is to win two games right now."
Orlando has won the past eight meetings, including five by double figures. The Pelicans' last victory over the Magic was on Dec. 23, 2021.