Magic's Jamahl Mosley makes tough admission about painful ending to Heat game

12/27/2024 01:03 AM

The Orlando Magic have done an incredible job at holding down the fort amid the injuries to their two best players in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. But on Thursday night, the Magic let a very winnable game go, as the Miami Heat stormed back from a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to take an 89-88 win over Orlando — retribution of sorts following the Heat’s major choke job against the Magic last Saturday.

This time, the Heat would not be denied. With 4.9 seconds remaining in the game, Tyler Herro got the ball on the move and nailed a tough leaning midrange jumpshot over the outstretched arms of Trevelin Queen, handing the Magic the loss after leaving just 0.5 seconds left on the clock. Orlando still had a timeout and drew up an incredible play for Jalen Suggs, only for Suggs’ three-point attempt to go in and out.

All Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley could do after the game was tip his cap to Herro, as the Heat guard managed to stay the course and deliver for his team when they needed him the most even against some pretty solid defense.

“It's a tough shot. I think he hit a tough two over TQ [Trevelin Queen]…You gotta give him credit for sticking with it. He wasn't shooting it great early on but then being able to stay in there and knock it down,” Mosley said, via Brett James of Orlando Magic HQ.

The Heat guard was shooting 5-13 from the field prior to the fourth quarter, but Herro, who is in the middle of a career year, saved his best for last. It’s always difficult to score against a swarming Magic defense, but Herro deserves plenty of credit for taking what the defense was giving and still making the most out of it.

Best is yet to come for the Magic

It’s a testament to how well-built this Magic roster is that they have managed to rise near the top of the Eastern Conference despite losing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to oblique injuries. Not too many teams can weather the absences of their two best players, but the Magic have done so by building their identity on the defensive end of the court.

There is no one on the Magic roster who is a negative on defense; everyone gives above-average effort, and as a result, they are boasting a 19-13 record at the moment — good for third in the East. And when Banchero and Wagner come back, expect the Magic to continue cementing their place as one of the best young teams in the association.

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