Putting too much weight into a preseason result can be risky, but Wednesday’s first exhibition for the Magic under new head coach Sean Sweeney might have shared a glimpse into the future for Orlando.
Although Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane only played in the first half, the Magic led by as many as 18 points in the first quarter and held on late, 122-118, against the Grizzlies on the road at FedExForum.
Orlando received key contributions off the bench from forwards Tristan da Silva (19 points) and Jamal Cain (15) while veteran center Nikola Vucevic knocked down three 3-pointers in his first game with the Magic since 2021.
After heading home for film review and practice at the AdventHealth Training Center, the Magic will travel to Cleveland for their second preseason game Sunday night.
Before turning the page on Orlando’s preseason opener against the Grizzlies, here are some observations from Wednesday night:
Ball movement on display
From the start of the contest and throughout the night, there was a clear and concerted effort from the Magic to move the ball on offense.
Orlando ended the night with 35 assists. For context, the Magic recorded 35 or more assists just three times last regular season. At Memphis, eight different members of the Magic recorded at least two assists.
Perhaps just as important as sharing the ball was the fact that the Magic took care of it relatively well. Memphis only scored eight points off 14 turnovers while Orlando notched 10 points off eight takeaways.
“We talked about going into this game that we have an identity that we want to build upon and really embrace, and being connected was a big piece going into (Wednesday night),” Sweeney said. “I thought the players did a great job with that.
“We talked about pressure and response. I thought we did a good job when something didn’t go our way of really trying to stay together and fix it the next possession.”
Franz the facilitator
While it’s worth noting that the Magic were without Jalen Suggs, who is still working his way back from an illness, Orlando’s offense was largely initiated by Wagner when the team’s starters were on the floor.
Orlando was also without Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (personal reasons) and Noah Penda (right hamstring strain) at Memphis.
Wagner, who only played 14 minutes in the first half, made the most of his limited action with the ball in his hands and dished out seven assists. Although his time on the court last regular season was limited to 34 appearances because of injury, Wagner only had one game in which he recorded at least seven assists.
Magic forward Franz Wagner, middle, handles the ball against Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells, right, in the first half of Wednesday’s preseason game in Memphis, Tenn. (Brandon Dill/AP)
Sweeney has emphasized throughout training camp the importance of creating advantages on offense as a team, and Wagner was at the heart of that effort against the Grizzlies.
“That’s just what he does,” da Silva said. “The way that he plays and the skillset that he has allows him to be a threat at all times and to attack the paint at all times. Whether that’s from long-range, from the mid-range or from short distance, he’s always a guy that the defense has to collapse to.
“Franz is somebody that’s really patient in that paint and makes the right decisions in there. So, it really makes everybody else’s life way easier.”
3-pointers galore
The Magic made 20 of their 45 three-pointers at Memphis, and if that seems like a lot for Orlando, that’s because it is. Five different Magic players each hit at least three 3-pointers.
Only three times in the last regular season did the Magic attempt 45 or more triples in a game and just twice did they make at least 20 of those long-range shots.
The Magic had a varying level of success throughout the night. In the first quarter, Orlando shot 6 for 10 from downtown. The second quarter saw the team shoot 4 for 13, but it responded well in the third by going 7 for 14. In the fourth, the Magic were 3 for 8 from 3.
Whether or not the shots fall, Sweeney wants Orlando to continue to move the ball for open looks from the perimeter.
“If we do a good job with our passing, on time and on target, we do a good job with our shot prep (and) we take the right shots, we feel pretty good about the shots we’re going to take,” Sweeney said. “And then we’ll probably make a few of them like we did (Wednesday night).”
Room for improvement
Of course, Wednesday’s contest was far from perfect.
The Magic missed eight free throws (20 for 28), gave up 48 points in the paint and allowed the Grizzlies to outscore them 12-8 on fast breaks. Both teams recorded 20 second-chance points.
Sweeney was candid about what he wants to see cleaned up in the next game.
“Everything,” he quipped. “A lot. No, I think we could do a really nice job of studying this tape, seeing where we did a good job of being in the right spots, seeing where we did a good job of executing on our schemes, and then where we need to get better.
“And I think there’s a lot of opportunities to improve off of (Wednesday night).”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next
What: Magic at Cavaliers, preseason
When: 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Rocket Arena
TV: ESPN