This is the first installment of a sports column by former Osceola County School Board member (and sports fanatic) Jay Wheeler. What should we call this?
By Jay Wheeler
Central Florida’s entry among the “Big 4” professional sports, the Orlando Magic, are making great strides towards becoming an elite team in what I put as the world’s best basketball league, the NBA.
Last season, the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Magic lost a gritty series to the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning all three home playoff games; I went to all of those games and they were crazy exciting. A Game 7 loss in Cleveland was the only thing standing between Orlando and the second round.
This year started out really well, with superstar Paolo Banchero averaging 29 points per game in his third season, until suffering a torn oblique (stomach) muscle in Chicago in October. After Banchero got injured, the Magic looked awful, losing four in a row to close that road trip. Then, somehow, the Magic woke up and won 13 of the next 15 games with former first-round Draft pick (8th overall) Franz Wagner named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in November. Wagner and Banchero proved they are arguably the best two forwards playing together – when healthy.
Then, as the Magic continued defying the odds and playing super well, Franz was injured Dec. 7, suffering the same torn oblique injury Banchero went down with. Now with the team’s two best players down, fans expectations understandably sunk.
On Dec. 21 playing at home against the rival Miami Heat, the Magic look pitiful. Down by 22 entering the 4th quarter, they found a crazy reversal of fortune, outscoring Miami 37-8 in that 4th quarter and won. In the middle of the second quarter, seldom-used and struggling reserve guard Cole Anthony entered the game after another key bench player, Moe Wagner (Franz’s brother) injured his knee. Anthony scored 35 points, with 27 coming in the second half.
Dec. 23 the world champion Boston Celtics came to the town. The Celtics started out looking every bit like the champions they are. At the half Boston led by 15 – right where the Magic wanted them! Orlando executed a comeback with help from Trevelin Queen, a regular with the Osceola Magic, played amazing defense, scored 17 points and had a key assist to rookie Tristan da Silva, who hit a three-point shot with 9 seconds left to salt away a 108-104 win.
Fast forward to Dec. 29 against Brooklyn and the fourth quarter starts with the Magic losing by 15 points. The Magic end up winning by one point on a last second shot by Anthony to seal a win balanced by losing in the same manner to the New York Knicks.
Despite the injuries, currently the Magic are in fourth place in the NBA Eastern Conference. Coach Jamal Mosley deserves a ton of credit. No matter who is or is not available to play, he gets the most of his players. Soon, Banchero will be back in the lineup. With more than 40 games left in the regular season, this team is 100% worth watching. Do not tune out if they are down by double digits in the second half, they seem to find ways to win.
