Osceola Magic deliver road sweep; return home Monday

After an uncharacteristic home loss Tuesday, the Osceola Magic got right back in the win column this weekend, taking two games outside of D.C. and pulling right back into the thick of the fight for the lead in the NBA G League Eastern Conference. 

The Magic (16-8) are just a half-game behind the 17-8 Delaware Blue Coats. By Saturday, the Magic could be in first place -- and you can see them do it, with four home games scheduled this week. 

The home stand starts Monday with Osceola Rancher Night against Raptors 905 (Toronto's farm team) at 7 p.m. The team will war commemorative ranch-inspired jerseys. The Raptors return Wednesday, then Osceola welcomes the Long Island Nets on Friday and Saturday. The team will do the same with four home games the week of March 25.

Over the weekend, the Magic needed overtime to down the College Park Skyhawks (Washington Wizards), 120-112, Friday. Despite trailing 57-54 at the half and 83-76 heading into the fourth quarter, Osceola rallied behind Mac McClung, who scored 14 of his game-high 36 points in the fourth. The Magic led by five with 11 seconds left, but College Park scored, Osceola missed a pair of free throws, and Tyson Etienne tied it at the buzzer with a three-pointer from 27 feet.

Daeqwon Plowden and Trevelin Queen hit a quick pair of three-pointers to start overtime, and the Magic (16-8) held College Park scoreless in the extra time. Chris Walker, starting at center for D.J. Wilson, led the Magic with 14 rebounds.

Saturday, with Osceola playing without McClung and Jett Howard, Kevon Harris picked up the slack and led the way with 23 points in Saturday's 104-96 win over the Skyhawks.

“It felt good to contribute to the team at this level,” Harris said. “It's always satisfying to secure wins when playing in front of your friends and family. We're going to carry this momentum; it was a fantastic team win, and it felt good to get things going."

Osceola asserted control early and held a 51-45 lead at the break. The Magic's staunch defense limited the Skyhawks to only 13.3% shooting from beyond the arc. Osceola collected seven steals, converting them into 17 points off College Park turnovers.

Wilson returned Saturday and contributed 13 points in the first half and finished with 20 points and five assists in the victory.

“Everyone was ready to play tonight,” Wilson said. “The whole team can hoop, and we didn't second-guess anything despite being shorthanded.”