Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Whether you’re in a Yahoo! High Score league, a Sleeper league, a league with a games cap or simply have so many players with games scheduled that you can’t start them all, making a decision about who to start or sit can help you win or lose your matchup.

Obviously, in many leagues, having more games played each week ends up being the difference in a matchup. This is not me saying to bench a player in a points league without a games cap. Even if I’m expecting a terrible game, five points is better than zero!

The Nets, Hornets, Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Magic, Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs play twice this weekend, so if you’re just looking to maximize games, prioritize those teams.

Fantasy Basketball Minutes Report: Austin Reaves returns, Ace Bailey joins the starting lineup

Each week we’ll dig into shifting rotations, uncovering which players deserve more attention in fantasy basketball.

• Eric Samulski,

▶ Guards

Start: Miles McBride, New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson is dealing with an ankle injury, and while there hasn’t been any report that would indicate a long-term absence yet, getting out in front of it is a good idea. If McBride starts multiple games, he’s a valuable streamer. At minimum, he should have a strong performance against the Heat on Friday. Brunson has already been ruled out for that game, so McBride should start. Miami plays at a faster pace than anyone in the league, which should help boost McBride’s stats.

Start: Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s unclear how long Darius Garland (toe) will be sidelined, but Merrill will continue to start in his place. The Cavs only have one game this weekend, but it’s against a Grizzlies team that hasn’t defended the three-point line well this season. This is a great opportunity for Merrill to get back on track; he opened the year as a starter and averaged 4.5 triples per game across their first four games before suffering a hip injury.

Sit: Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves

DiVincenzo has struggled the last three games with Anthony Edwards back (though he was good in Edwards’ return), and this weekend isn’t going to get any easier. Minnesota plays the Kings and the Nuggets. Sacramento hasn’t been great lately, but they’ve done a decent job at defending three-pointers this year. Plus, there’s the added motivation from head coach Doug Christie after their last game, which came in a threat to switch up the starting unit. Denver has been one of the best teams at defending the three-point line this year. This isn’t a great chance for DiVincenzo to get back on track.

Sit: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Sheppard is starting to figure things out, but this weekend isn’t ideal for him. The Rockets play the Trail Blazers and Magic, and both teams rank in the top four in fewest three-pointers allowed per game. Sheppard has hit at least four triples in three straight games and knocked down a season-best five treys against Washington on Wednesday, but that streak could certainly come to an end.

▶ Forwards

Start: Bogdan Bogdanovic, LA Clippers

With Bradley Beal (hip) set to miss the rest of the season, John Collins has moved into the starting lineup, but it’s Bogdanovic that has been more productive. Over his last three appearances, he has averaged 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 three-pointers in 26 minutes per game. He has two games this weekend, and while the matchups aren’t ideal, he has been effective when Beal is injured.

Start: Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets

Clowney has been starting for Brooklyn, and he has been really productive in four of their last five games. The matchup with the Magic on Friday isn’t an easy one, but it’s an opportunity for him. However, it’s the game against the Wizards on Sunday that is intriguing. Washington has the worst defense in the league, which makes it a great opportunity for Clowney to have a productive night.

Sit: Trendon Watford, Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers only have one game this weekend, and it’s against the Pistons, who have been elite on defense this season, especially in the paint. Since that surprising triple-double, Watford has been disappointing. He may continue to start, but the return of Dominick Barlow (elbow) could cut into Watford’s minutes.

Sit: Dillon Brooks, Phoenix Suns

Brooks is coming off one of the best offensive performances of his career, but his lone outing this weekend will come against one of the best defensive teams in the league. The limited opportunity combined with a matchup against the Hawks makes this a suboptimal weekend for Brooks.

▶ Centers

Start: Moussa Diabate, Charlotte Hornets

Ryan Kalkbrenner (personal) has been ruled out against the Bucks on Friday, which will be at least one start for Diabate. They play again on Saturday against the Thunder, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Kalkbrenner missed both. Diabate has been solid as a reserve, but his ceiling and minutes will both rise significantly with Kalkbrenner unavailable.

Start: Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

It’s not really about matchups here; Queen is just playing too well to not start him. Queen isn’t starting yet, but he’s playing starter minutes. He had a career-best 26 points and played 38 minutes on Wednesday. The Lakers and Warriors aren’t easy matchups, but they shouldn’t scare managers away as Queen breaks out.

Sit: Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat

Miami only has one game this weekend, and it comes against the Knicks, who have been one of the best rebounding teams in the league this season. Ware didn’t do much against the Knicks as a starter earlier this year, but that was with Bam Adebayo available. Adebayo (toe) is still out, so Ware should play more minutes, but this isn’t an ideal matchup for Ware.

Sit: Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks

Lively (knee) will be back on Friday against the Clippers, who rank last in the league in pace. Slower pace leads to fewer shots, which leads to fewer rebound opportunities. Sunday’s matchup with Portland is more favorable, but Gafford and Lively haven’t played together yet this season. Plus, Anthony Davis (calf) could be back. It’s best to play it safe when it comes to the Dallas bigs and wait to figure things out next week; it wouldn’t be shocking if both play 15-20 minutes.

While predicting what the Kings' front office and ownership will do is a futile mission, there is logic to their trying to trade away their veterans at the trade deadline. Sacramento is a 3-9 team — one that is frustrating its coach — with a promising young player in Keegan Murray and an intriguing rookie in Nique Clifford, but not much else to build around. The Kings control their own draft pick this season, so trading away their veterans to focus on the future makes sense.

There is interest around the league in center Domantas Sabonis, Sam Amick of The Athletic said on SacTown Sports (hat tip Real GM).

"So, as it relates to Sabonis, my understanding is there are at least a few teams that have raised their hand to say, 'Yeah, he's somebody we'd want to talk about.' I've said it on your show before — I don't have that sort of information about Zach (LaVine)."

Sabonis, a three-time All-Star and All-NBA selection in 2023 and 2024, is averaging 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game this season, although his efficiency has fallen off sharply, including his shooting just 17.6% from 3-point range. He is a good passer and just 29 years old; teams may think that if they get him in their system, Sabonis will return to form.

That said, Sabonis is making $42.3 million this season and is owed $94.1 million over the two seasons after this one. If a team is going to take him on, they are going to have to want him. Just matching that salary will mean giving up a player of value.

LaVine, 30, is averaging 23.9 points a game and shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc this season, but is more ball dominant than Sabonis. LaVine is making $47.5 million this season with a player option for $48.9 million next season (he would be extension eligible this summer). Considering how difficult the Bulls found it to find a LaVine trade before the deal with the Kings last February (part of a three-team trade involving De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio), it may be asking a lot to expect the Kings to find a deal.

Don't be surprised if Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan and Doug McDermott also come up in trade rumors.

There is a predictable pattern around the NBA: Whenever there is front office upheaval, other teams start to poke around, looking to go bargain shopping on players they like.

Enter the Dallas Mavericks, who fired general manager Nico Harrison and have replaced him with a couple of interim GMs in Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, while a search is underway for a full-time replacement (Riccardi's name is part of that search, and he is rumored to be coach Jason Kidd's guy). With that, other teams are circling, expecting Dallas to make a move eventually, starting with potentially trading Anthony Davis, league sources have told NBC Sports. That is being reported elsewhere as well, here is how Tim Bontemps phrased it at ESPN:

The belief, from sources I spoke to, is that the Mavs moving on from at least Davis, if not both stars, was the optimal strategy. Those moves would help maximize the 2026 first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft class -- the only selection Dallas controls the rest of this decade -- to reposition the franchise around 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.

Notice how that is phrased: other teams think Dallas should trade Davis — and maybe Kyrie Irving — and essentially tank this season to use their 2026 first-round pick to get a young running mate for Cooper Flagg. That is the strategy I have written here at NBC Sports that the Mavericks should follow. That doesn't mean that is the current thinking in Dallas, especially with both of them out injured (Davis is near a return, but owner Patrick Dumont wants more medical data on Davis' calf strain before okaying his return).

Saying the Mavs should trade Davis is also a lot easier than putting together a workable deal.

Trying to find a Davis trade

There are a lot of moving parts here, let's break it all down.

• Is Dallas going to let its interim GMs make a massive trade like this that sets the future direction of the franchise? The more logical scenario is for the Mavericks to let things play out and then allow the new GM to make the call, but will all that come together in time for the February trade deadline?

• Nobody is going to trade for Davis or Irving until they see them back on the court, healthy and playing well. Until then, everything is pure speculation.

• Neither Davis nor Irving is a 1A, best player on a championship team guy (the Lakers hoped Davis would take that mantle from LeBron, but it never happened, in part because LeBron never faded away that much). Davis and Irving are, at this point, No. 2 or 3 guys on a title team. This means that teams trading for them are not going to give up elite prices — the Mavs are not going to get back what they gave up to acquire Davis. However, if healthy, both players could be important parts of a contending or playoff team. There are just a limited number of those teams, and even fewer looking to trade for a high-priced big man.

• Davis is making $54.1 million this season, and the Dallas Mavericks are hard-capped at the second apron, which they are just $1.3 million below. That combination makes it incredibly difficult to find a trade partner during the season, especially since most of the teams he would go to are also facing a hard cap or other apron/tax issues.

• Davis is extension eligible this offseason, which is going to scare off some teams. Here is what one GM told Brian Windhorst of ESPN:

"I just looked it up so I could say this to my owner if he asks me about it, AD is turning 33 in March and he's going to be in position next summer where he'll probably want a contract extension that would cost $70 million per year when he'd be 37," one general manager said. He's a great player, full stop. But when you consider a player at his age with his injury history, you'd also be trading for the stress of that extension. That plays into it."

• What teams are interested? On FanDuel’s Run it Back show, John Wall floated the idea of Davis wanting to return to his native Chicago. He may want that, but would Chicago? The Bulls would want to swap older big men, sending out Nikola Vucevic in the trade, but would have to add a young player such as Coby White and another player (Isaac Okoro?) to make the math work, plus picks to interest Dallas. And why would Chicago do that, exactly? If they believe they have something to build around with Josh Giddey, Chicago should be looking for players on his timeline. Davis is not that.

• Golden State fits the "would take on an older player to try and win now" criteria and could use some help along the front line, but constructing a trade is very difficult (the Warriors are hard-capped at the second apron and just about $2 million below that number). Jimmy Butler for Davis straight up works under the cap (they have the same salary), but why would either team do that?

Would Golden State be willing to trade Draymond Green to get Davis? I imagine the answer to that is no, considering Green's chemistry with Stephen Curry, but it's another path. While difficult to construct (but can work with a third team involved), there is a trade that sends Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and another player, such as Buddy Hield, out of the Bay Area. Again, why would Golden State do that? Does this really make them better right now? Davis is a better player than Green in a vacuum, but at twice the salary and wanting an extension. Also, is Dallas willing to bet on Kuminga fitting next to Flagg and being a long-term part of what they are building? It's hard to see the sides finding common ground.

• It's possible a team like Sacramento or Phoenix could kick around a deal (the Kings could send out Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis), but do either of them want to get that much older with Davis?

• The bottom line is that while teams are poking around and think the Mavericks should trade Davis (and fans are clamoring for the bold move), finding a deal that actually makes sense for the Mavericks — with young players and picks to help them pivot around Flagg — is very difficult to find. And it's more likely to happen around the draft or next offseason than in the next three months.

Last weekend, roughly two thousand people gathered at Pier 36 in New York City for a collision of food, music, and basketball called The Battle of Jollof.

The event, now in its fifth year, featured a jollof rice cook-off, a 1v1 basketball tournament highlighting talent from across the African diaspora, and a high-stakes basketball game between Team Ghana and Team Nigeria — a showdown for bragging rights in the kitchen and on the court.

It brought together NBA and WNBA stars, Afrobeats powerhouses, a Bib-Gourmand-recognized chef, and some of the city's best restaurants, representing flavors from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia — and it was completely free of charge.

Why?

Because the purpose of the Battle of Jollof isn't fame or profit; the purpose of the event is community.

Jordan Christopher Reginald Hill

On the eve of Battle of Jollof, I sat down with Arinze Emeagwali, TJ Adeshola, and Abdul Karim Abdullah, the founders,at Ludlow House in SoHo for a pre-event gathering where they shared how this event came to be. As we walked through the four-story house to find a quiet place for our interview, they paused to greet every guest they encountered, dapping them up with a warm, welcoming energy.

Being greeted is such a significant part of African culture. If you grew up in an African home and made the mistake of walking past someone without saying hi, you've probably heard:

"You don't greet?" or in Pidgin, "You no dey greet"?

You acknowledge everyone in the room to not only show that they matter but to show that they are welcome. Being welcoming is a core value in African culture.

That sense of welcome is what sparked the idea for global brand marketer Emeagwali in 2019. He partnered with Adeshola, a sports and media executive and operating partner at Arctos Partners, and Abdullah, the founder and CEO of AfroFuture, to bring the vision to life in 2020.

"I just wanted to bring together the community — our friends and other people that aren't West African — and have a vibe and educate them," he said.

"To be Black, we have so many more similarities than we have differences, " said Adeshola. "[Battle of Jollof] is all about our shared experiences, shared culture, and pride in the nuances that exist across all of that cultural overlap."

"It's a space for us to really honor our stories, share a little bit about our culture, and to gather as a community," added Abdullah. "We're able to showcase our story, showcase who we are, and develop pride in the next generation of people who are now getting to see their culture as mainstream."

Getty Images for BMG – BET Media Group

That shared pride and celebration of culture is what attracted a star-studded lineup of athletes and artists who came to support and experience Battle of Jollof firsthand.

"This event speaks to all aspects of everything that I love," said two-time WNBA All-Star and basketball analyst Chiney Ogwumike. "I think the best thing that sport does is it brings everyone together — culture, community, vibes, Afrobeats, and of course, athletes and celebrities — all celebrating what it means to be Black, to be of culture, and what it means to be of the diaspora."

viewmyvizion Jordan Canty

"I love repping my culture, and I love Nigeria," said WNBA All-Star Kiki Iriafen. "To be able to celebrate basketball, jollof, and the beautiful African diaspora is super special. It's great for us, especially being in the States, to be able to get together, have community, and celebrate our culture and heritage.

Team Nigeria was coached by four-time WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale, who led the group to an 80-74 victory over Team Ghana.

"This is my first time going. I've always seen it, but I'm super excited that I could be part of it. This is my culture, and African culture is just dope," said Ogunbowale.

Jordan Christopher Reginald Hill

Ogunbowale wasn't the only first-timer at the event. New York Knicks Star OG Anunoby came to show his support.

"I heard about the event. I thought it'd be pretty cool, so I wanted to come check it out for myself," Anunoby said. "I'm very proud of my African culture. I grew up in a Nigerian household, and it's very important to see African representation. It's very uplifting and cool for everyone to see and be a part of."

Other guests included Philadelphia 76ers Center Adem Bona, former NBA stars Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Emeka Okafor, and Ty Lawson; rapper Wale; Afrobeats sensation King Promise, Grammy-nominated artist Fridayy, host and executive producer Speedy Morman, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’Bozoma St. John — who is also the Chief Marketing Officer for NBC's On Brand with Jimmy Fallon — and more.

Bussalenz Media

The influence is impressive, but at its core, Battle of Jollof is about giving back. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) — one of the event's sponsors — donated $5,000 in the event's honor to One Love Community Fridge.

The non-profit organization, founded by Asmeret Berhe-Lumax in June 2020, is working to eradicate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

"It really is about just having an impact wherever we show up," said Lyzz Ogunwo, Vice President of Player Experience Operations and Global Impact at NBPA, on the organization's involvement.

"We already know the state of access to food right now in the United States," Ogunwo continued. "We saw this as a great opportunity to make a contribution on behalf of our players — ensuring additional access to food for those in times of need right now.

"So many of our players have shared narratives with the folks who are playing in the [tournament] and with the founders of Battle of Jollof as well. It's just an opportunity to see themselves within the diaspora community.

"It's also a great [extension] of what we've been doing with One Court Africa."

Battle of Jollof is more than an event; it's one big greeting — a warm embrace that comes from the depths of a culture and tradition that says, "Isee you, I acknowledge you." The shared plates of Jollof, the rhythm of the log drum in Afrobeats, and the shared celebrations on the court are all invitations to partake — a way to say: you are welcome.

Getty Images

Despite its magnitude, the founders of Battle of Jollof have full-time jobs. The event isn't a side-hustle — it's an overflow of their passion for culture and the diaspora.

"Battle of Jollof is a love letter to the community," said Adeshola. "Everybody has jobs and things that we have going on, but we recognize that this is important, and we have to prioritize bringing people together in a way that's differentiated. It's not the club, it's not a concert, it's not a party, it's truly breaking bread and watching sport.

Our hope is that everybody who walks in the space gets a plate, enjoys their jollof, and gets to experience a really dope moment with the culture."

Getty Images

"It's really about the community and us prioritizing paying the community — paying the mom-and-pop shops, paying the vendors, bringing them out so people can know about the Liberian place that has good Jollof.

Battle of Jollof is a moment to not only showcase African talent and how diverse we are, but to highlight African food and how diverse we are," said Emeagwali.

"It's a way to share a piece of our childhood and a piece of our culture with people," said Abdullah.

After 12 years, Stephen Curry and Under Armour have mutually agreed to end their partnership, making Curry a shoe free agent after the end of this season.

Under Armour will release the Curry 13 in February 2026, then they will part ways. Curry has been with UA since 2013, when the company signed him away from Mike.

Curry will retain sole ownership of the Curry Brand (which had been a subdivision of the Under Armour brand) and will seek a new retail partner.

"Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe. I'll always be grateful for that." Curry said in a statement announcing the split. "Curry Brand was created to change the game for good and over the past five years, we successfully changed the game for kids, for communities, and for basketball. What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for and my commitment to that mission will never change, it's only growing stronger. I'm excited for a future that's focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation."

"It's been an incredible privilege to work with Stephen, who as President of Curry Brand has been much more than an ambassador – he's become a thoughtful and strategic business leader," said Kevin Plank, Founder and CEO of Under Armour, in a statement. "Together with our teammates, he helped build something rare: a brand with credibility, community impact, and product that performs at the highest level. For Under Armour, this moment is about discipline and focus on the core UA brand during a critical stage of our turnaround. And for Stephen, it's the right moment to let what we created evolve on his terms. We'll always be grateful for what he's brought to the UA team."

Curry's signing with Under Armour was a massive win for the company. They released a series of shoes over the years, then in 2020 launched the Curry Brand (think of it like the Jordan Brand with Nike, a separate company under the umbrella of a larger one).

Now, that brand is going to be a free agent and it will be in demand.

This is as good of news as the Knicks could have hoped for after Jalen Brunson hobbled off the court with 1:54 left against Orlando on Wednesday and went straight to the locker room.

Brunson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right ankle sprain, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and Ian Begley of SNY.tv and since confirmed by multiple other sources. He is out Friday night when the Knicks host the Heat in an NBA Cup game, after which he will be day-to-day.

A Grade 1 sprain is the least severe level of sprain, and recovery can take anywhere from less than a week up to almost three weeks. This is the same ankle Brunson sprained at the end of last season.

Brunson was still in the game with the Knicks down 16 and less than two minutes to go in the game when the injury took place, something former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was criticized for (and new coach Mike Brown said he would change). After the game, Brown said he had no update, and Brunson did not speak to reporters but was seen leaving the arena in a boot using crutches.

Brunson is averaging 28 points and 6.5 assists a game this season for the 7-4 Knicks, who sit third in the Eastern Conference. Brunson has had the ball in his hands less this season — fewer dribbles and seconds holding the ball when he gets it — and has shown he can thrive off the ball as well

This was supposed to be the year that the Orlando Magic vaulted into a tier of true contenders in the Eastern Conference. After winning 47 games and earning the 5th seed in the playoffs in 2023-24, they posted a 41-win season and a 7th seed in 2024-25. Boasting the 5th-youngest roster in the league, this season was when their leap was going to happen.

Coming into the season, ESPN ranked the Magic as the 9th-best team in basketball and set their projected wins total at 48 games. The Athletic had the Magic ranked as the NBA’s 7th-best team, and general pre-season betting odds had them with the 9th-best odds to win the title and an Over/Under of 51.5 wins.

Yet, 12 games into the season, the Magic sit at 6-6 and are tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference. So what has happened in the early going that led the team to stumble out of the gate?

For starters, Orlando's shooting woes from last season have carried over into the new season as well.

Heading into Friday night's game against the Nets, the Magic are 20th in the league in effective field goal rate. They're hitting just 33.6% of their three-point shots, which is 24th in the NBA. Not a single player on the Magic averages two or more made three-point shots a game, and only four of them even attempt four or more three-pointers per game.

That was a big reason why the Magic went out andtraded for Desmond Bane this offseason. The 27-year-old is a career 40.7% shooter from beyond the arc and a 47.1% shooter overall. He was meant to provide the floor spacing and knockdown shooting that the Magic so desperately needed. Yet, so far this season, he is shooting just 30.2% from three and putting up just 4.4 three-point shots per game, well below his career mark of 6.3

Bane didn't just become a bad jumpshooter, so we have to expect that the shots are going to begin to fall for him, as they did on Wednesday against the Knicks, when he knocked down three of six from deep. However, Bane being fourth on the team in three-point attempts per game is more noteworthy.

Some of that can be attributed to the team's offensive scheme, which has not created many catch-and-shoot opportunities this season.

The Magic take just 22.1 catch-and-shoot threes per game, which puts them 28th in the league, and they make 34.2% of those shots, which is 23rd in the league. In fact, if you include shots from inside the arc, the Magic shoot just 36.2% on all catch-and-shoot opportunities, which is 21st in the NBA. What's more, 8.3% of Orlando’s shots this season are with a defender within two feet, which is the 4th-most in the NBA. On the season, the Magic are 26th in the NBA in percentage of threes that are deemed open (when the defender is within 4-6 feet). They attempt only 11.1 open threes a game, which is also 26th in raw amount. None of that is particularly good.

However, a more generous way to view the slow shooting start for both Bane and the Magic is that the team is still learning how to play with one another.

"We're still trying to figure out playing with each other," said Anthony Black after the win over the Knicks. "It looks a little different. Rotations are a little different. So I think, as we're finding out where to be on the floor, we're getting better looks, and we're figuring out how to convert... Dudes are starting to find their rhythm, their confidence, so I think we can keep that going and start to make more shots."

"It takes time," added Bane. "It’s new for everybody, so we're trying to get this thing to come together."

In addition to Bane, another new piece in the rotation is guard Tyus Jones, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason. The Magic are also adjusting to who is no longer on the court. Last season, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope averaged nearly 30 minutes a game in 77 games with the Magic. Mo Wagner played nearly 20 minutes a game in his 30 games, and Cole Anthony averaged just over 18 minutes per game in 67 games. None of them are on the Magic roster currently or healthy (Wagner tore his ACL last December).

"I think that was a big portion of it," responded Magic coach Jamahl Mosley when asked about his team's performance on offense. "Guys finding a way to click together, both offensively and defensively. Putting some new pieces together, having that chemistry flow... Guys not being on minutes restrictions anymore. I think those things all play a part."

Part of the process of figuring each other out is also going to be encouraging Bane to be more selfish when looking for his own shot.

"Dez gets downhill really well," said Black. "You know, we joke around and say we need him shooting some of those shots that he's attacking, but he just does such a good job getting into the paint. He's fast getting past his man that it just makes it easy for the other dudes to play off of him."

While there is certainly nothing wrong with attacking the paint and looking to get looks for your teammates, Bane has the second-highest pass rate on drives of any player in the Magics' rotation, but just an 8.5% assist rate on those opportunities. That ranks 78th out of 121 guards in the NBA playing at least 20 minutes per game. Meanwhile, Bane is attempting just 1.1 corner threes per game and 3.3 above-the-break threes per game after taking 4.9 above-the-break threes per game last year and shooting 41.2% on them.

He's also been involved more as a pick-and-roll ballhandler than he was in Memphis, but that's a major part of Orlando's offensive DNA. As a team, the Magic run the pick-and-roll the 4th-most of any team, but they rank 24th in points per possession on the pick-and-roll and 20th in effective field goal percentage. They are 19th in scoring frequency on pick-and-rolls, so even though they have a propensity for utilizing it, it hasn't been overly successful so far this season.

Some of that could be that teams know it's how Orlando wants to attack, and Orlando doesn't have the luxury of adjusting that approach with their two highest-usage players.

The Magic use Paolo Banchero as a pick-and-roll ballhandler 24.2% of the time. However, he has recorded just 0.89 points per possession and a 46.1% eFG% in that role. Among players who average at least one opportunity as a pick-and-roll ballhandler per game, that ranks 93rd and 129th of 209 players. The Magic also score on 40.8% of the plays in which Banchero is the pick-and-roll ballhandler, which is 98th out of 209 players, one spot ahead of teammate Jalen Suggs.

The team also uses Franz Wagner as a pick-and-roll ballhandler 26.8% of the time after he was the main focus of the offense against the Knicks. He has been slightly better than Banchero in that role, but his 0.94 ppp and 49.2% eFG% are sitting around league average, which is not ideal if that's one of your team's main ways to create offense.

“I think teams switch us because they want to stall us out," explained Mosley before the Knicks game. "They both know those guys [Banchero and Wagner] get downhill very aggressively and get to the paint. So we talk about the screening angles because, if we know teams are switching, where you set the screen is going to be very important. Sometimes you set it, sometimes you slip, sometimes you set a low angle in order to create a problem because now that opens up for others."

Perhaps more time on the court and execution in practice will make those pick-and-roll opportunities more efficient as the year goes on. So far, it hasn't hurt the overall effectiveness of the team's starting five, which ranks 5th in the NBA in net rating for any five-man lineup that has played at least 50 minutes together. That lineup of Banchero, Wagner, Bane, Suggs, and Wendell Carter Jr. is also 2nd in the league in pace, and that's a huge component of how Orlando wants to play basketball.

As a team, Orlando is 10th in pace. They want to get a full head of steam and then use their size and physicality to attack opponents in the paint. They came into Wednesday's game against the Knicks 5th in the NBA in field goals made on drives with 11.5 per game. They were also 8th in the NBA in drives per game at 52.3, 10th in the NBA in the percentage of points that come on drives, and 7th in the league in points that come in the paint. That has also led them to average 10.2 free throw attempts per game on drive, which was 2nd in the NBA. As a team, the Magic average 32.6 free throws per game. They are the only team in the NBA to average over 30 attempts per game.

So their offensive pace does create opportunities at the rim and free throw chances, but their over-reliance on it as their only consistent source of scoring has been problematic in the past and has continued to be so this year. Yet, while Orlando may need to diversify its offensive identity to be more than physical attacks at the rim, that same level of physicality on defense has been central to their success over the last couple of seasons.

"Defense has been our calling card since I came here," admitted Black. "I think that's what leads to a lot of our wins, even a lot of our offensive success. So I think the more we keep getting into the ball, being physical, creating turnovers, I think that'll keep leading to better offensive performances and just a better vibe and just a better feel out there."

The evidence of that was on display on Wednesday in a win over the Knicks. The Magic jumped on the Knicks early, hounding the ball on the perimeter and showing active hands in the passing lanes. That led to 10 steals and forced the Knicks into 14 turnovers.

Yet, that type of performance hasn’t been the norm for Orlando this season. Coming into that Knicks game, the Magic were 15th in the NBA in defensive rating, but they had been 2nd at the end of last season. Part of that is due to Orlando being less active and effective in the passing lanes. This year, they’re 23rd in the NBA in steals with 7.8 per game, but they were 6th in the league last year with 8.9 steals per game. Last year, the Magic were also 6th in the league in deflections with 17.7 per game. This year, they’re 24th at 15.9 per game.

According to Coach Mosley, some of that was just due to preparation and execution: “We gotta do a better job of knowing personnel and then being able to keep them out of the lane, but also being able to get out to shooters at the same time."

The Magic are still hounding opponents on the perimeter, so their aggressive nature hasn't changed. Last year, Magic opponents took 7.9% of their field goals with a defender very tight (within 2 feet), which was 3rd-best in the NBA. 31.3% of their opponents' shots were with a defender tight (2-4 feet), which is also 3rd in the NBA. This year, the Magic are also third, so the issue has been more about poor execution as the Magic defenders close out on the perimeter, which has caused the Magic to average almost three more fouls per game than last year.

"We got to be smarter," admitted Coach Mosley. "That's a big portion of it. Understanding we are a physical team, but we got to be smart about how we're physical, where we're grabbing...A lot of those things that happen in the lane, those guys go up, you make sure you're showing your hands [to avoid foul calls]. I'm screaming it on the sideline. We got to make sure we're communicating that with our guys when they break that three-point line, we've got to be able to show our hands too."

When the Magic do complete a successful defensive possession, they also need to capitalize more often than they have been. This season, their defensive rebounding rate is down to 69.1%, which is 14th in the NBA. Last year, they were 6th in the league at 72%.

"The shot goes up, you don't watch the ball," said Coach Mosley. "You turn and check to see if that man is flying in. You make contact with him, and then you've got to know where that ball is flying off, and then you go pursue it. After you've cleared the box out, you don't just go chase the basketball, and you've got to put your body on them and make sure that after that, once it's secured, then you can get out on the break."

For the Magic, everything is about getting out on the break, but they need to execute their defensive principles in order to do that. "That's who we are, a defensive team that can get out and run and create opportunities because of our defense."

That wasn't who they were early in the season, but it's who they are becoming again. Perhaps heading into Madison Square Garden to take on a Knicks team that had yet to lose a home game was the extra motivation the team needed, but Coach Mosley doesn't believe the opponent the Magic defeat is any more important than what the Magic are doing themselves.

"It's not a statement [win]. It's our process. If we can sit down and guard the right way every single night, trust the pass, share the ball, get out on the break and convert on the break, do a better job defending without fouling That's our process, and the result will take care of itself, but we've got to continue to focus on our process, and it starts on the defensive end of the floor."

Focusing on that end is how the Magic have rebounded from a 1-4 start and won five of their last seven games. It's how the Magic emphatically defeated a potential title contender on its home court. It's how the Magic elevated themselves into the playoff conversation the last couple of years, and it's how they will be able to take the next step towards being a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Just as all the pre-season predictions anticipated.

“I think the expectations of the outside are always going to be there no matter what we say," reflected Coach Mosley, "but our ability to just focus on our game plan and how we're trying to approach this game is going to be more important...Our guys know exactly how they can play, how good [our] team has been playing, and how we're trending.”

Now it's time for them to deliver that night in and night out.