The Osceola Magic dropped their first game of the year Sunday, but it came after setting a franchise record for its largest margin of victory.
The team won its fourth straight game Friday night,120-77, over the Birmingham Squadron (G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans). The Magic's bench formed much of the push. Javonte Smart continued his hot shooting season, going 8-for-11 from beyond the three-point arc, and hit another four of them in the fourth quarter, giving him 12 3s in just the final quarter of the last three contests combined.
“Javonte plays with supreme confidence, and we have that confidence in him," Coach Dylan Murphy said. "He knows what the right shots are, and even when he’s got it going, he still makes the right plays. Proud of him and how he’s been playing to start the season and obviously we need him.”
Two-way player Orlando Robinson, in his second game in Osceola (4-1), recorded his second double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, also off the bench, and Reece Beekman added 12 more.
Former University of Michigan and Kansas college All-American Hunter Dickinson led the Squadron with a 16-point, 16-rebound performance. Birmingham (2-3) got even Sunday with a 122-118 win. Birmingham guard Trey Alexander led all scorers with 30 points, as the Squadron hit six free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the victory.
Lester Quiñones was the leading scorer for the Magic with 24 points. Colin Castleton recorded his third double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds before leaving late in the third quarter with an apparent injury.
The Magic now start a seven-game road trip, starting Wednesday and Thursday against the Austin Spurs (4-0). Tip off of the 8 p.m. games can be seen on ESPN+.
The next game at the Silver Spurs Arena is Sunday, Dec. 14 — come celebrate Swish’s Birthday!
