In a spirited practice at T-Mobile Arena, the Orlando Magic geared up for their much-anticipated NBA Cup semifinal showdown against the New York Knicks. Coach Jamahl Mosley expressed confidence in his team’s preparation for the high-stakes encounter, emphasizing the importance of focus amidst the surrounding media frenzy.
“The energy’s great,” Mosley stated. “These guys are feeling and seeing what it’s like with all the media attention and various distractions, but they’re really locked into the game plan for New York. They feel good about it.” He highlighted the continued growth of team chemistry, noting that their time in Las Vegas has been instrumental in that development.
The atmosphere was palpable, noted by players as they navigated the increased media presence and the buzz around the arena. Paolo Banchero, reflecting on the unique experience, remarked, “It’s a tremendous opportunity to play on this stage. You can just tell by all the stuff going on. It’s a big stage, and as a team we want to take advantage of the opportunity and just go out there and do our best to get the win.” He added, “It’s a fun environment. Everybody is excited to be here.”
The semifinal clash is set for an early evening tip-off at 5:30 p.m. ET, streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime.
Should the Magic, currently sporting a 15-10 record, emerge victorious, they will remain in Las Vegas for an additional three days, gearing up for the Cup championship scheduled for Tuesday night. Following that, they will take a day off before embarking on a four-game West Coast trip that includes matchups at Denver, Utah, Golden State, and Portland.
However, if Orlando falls short in the semifinal, the team is prepared to head back home for a few days before quickly traveling to Denver for their next game. Mosley addressed the situation, saying, “We’ve talked about it as a staff…you stay for a moment but if you don’t get it, then you have to get back home because that’s a lot of time away from family.” He reiterated the team’s focus, stating, “Let’s take care of Saturday and then see what happens from there.”
A noteworthy moment from their last encounter with the Knicks involved guard Desmond Bane, who faced a $35,000 fine for his unsportsmanlike conduct in that game. During the fourth quarter, Bane threw a loose ball at New York forward OG Anunoby. Reflecting on the incident, Bane maintained, “I thought it was a good basketball play in the moment. When I watch the slow-mo, it still wasn’t a bad one. I just think I threw it a little too hard.” He humorously suggested that he might receive a call from Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds to join their training camp.
Bane is not just focused on the semifinals; he also sees the upcoming Cup reward as a potential boon. Each player on the winning team will receive $530,933 from the prize pool. “If we win, I’d probably break off a couple people that helped me early in the season and probably go buy a new boat, honestly,” Bane shared. Banchero echoed the sentiment, highlighting the financial support it could provide to his younger teammates. “Everyone on the team, we’ve got a lot of young guys who could really use the money, including myself. When you are playing for something extra like that, you want to go after it.”
As the Magic gear up for this pivotal moment, the anticipation builds for what could be a landmark performance in their season.
