In the ranking of the best teams since the All-Star Weekend, we find two candidates for the title, the Bucks (6v-0d) and the Nuggets (6v-1d). Then comes the Magic, with the same record as the reigning champions.
By winning last night against the Hornets, the Floridians (36v-26d) signed a 4th victory in a row and made a good move in the ranking. The combined defeat of the Knicks allows them to move up to 4th place in the East for the first time since January 1, thanks to a favorable tie breaker.
Orlando, which has never been beyond 9th place this season and has mainly occupied the 8th spot in recent weeks, thus confirms its status as a serious scratch in its conference.
“ People are starting to understand, slowly but surely. There are good teams in this league and we are trying to make our way in this category. And I feel like we're on the right track. The 'hype' will come. We just gotta keep doing what we gotta do “, savor Cole Anthony.
Calendar favors continue
Their current good form is largely linked to being able to count on healthy executives since the end of January, with a usual five: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. Even if since the resumption, Gary Harris is preferred to the first, still physically fragile, among the holders.
And the Magic, who have won 13 of their last 17 games, benefit from a favorable schedule. After the break, the Magic won at the Cavs, deprived of Donovan Mitchell, in Detroit, then continued at home against the Nets, Jazz and Pistons. With the only “accident” along the way, a heavy defeat in Atlanta in “back-to-back”.
“ We impose higher standards on ourselves. The players let us know what that standard was on both ends of the court. On offense, we want to make sure we're moving the ball, sharing it and playing the right way. We still have a lot of work to do to take care of the ball […]. On defense, we want to make sure we communicate well and be physical without making a mistake “, recalls Jamahl Mosley among its great principles.
Ten victories above 50%
He could add the fact of being intractable against “weak” teams. His team is one of the best in the league against teams with a negative record with 21 wins and 6 losses. This favorable schedule, which continues with trips to the Wizards and the Knicks in bad shape, before facing the Nets and the Raptors twice, allows them today to count 10 successes above 50% victory. .
A first since April 2012. Jamahl Mosley sees it as the result of “ phenomenal work » of its staff, but also of the managers: “ Jeff Weltman (President) and his team wanted to keep a group together so they could grow, understand chemistry and how important it is. Our guys find ways to win and want to keep doing more. »
Arriving at the club in 2017, Jonathan Isaac, who experienced seasons with around twenty victories, today remembers sitting in the office of its president, “ years ago “. That day, the leader told him: “ We're going to do things right, together. » He was right.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Paolo Banchero | 59 | 34.8 | 46.1 | 36.0 | 70.5 | 1.1 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 5.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 22.9 |
| Franz Wagner | 53 | 33.1 | 48.2 | 30.7 | 85.0 | 1.0 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 20.5 |
| Jalen Suggs | 56 | 26.6 | 45.9 | 39.2 | 76.0 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 12.3 |
| Cole Anthony | 60 | 22.9 | 43.2 | 32.6 | 83.1 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 11.8 |
| Wendell Carter, Jr. | 35 | 26.1 | 54.4 | 41.8 | 72.2 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 11.6 |
| Moe Wagner | 59 | 18.4 | 59.2 | 31.8 | 80.4 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 11.3 |
| Markelle Fultz | 25 | 23.0 | 50.0 | 11.1 | 60.0 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 8.6 |
| Gary Harris | 38 | 22.9 | 45.3 | 37.2 | 77.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 7.2 |
| Jonathan Isaac | 41 | 14.7 | 47.9 | 29.9 | 71.0 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 6.0 |
| Goga Bitadze | 50 | 17.5 | 60.5 | 16.7 | 64.9 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 5.6 |
| Anthony Black | 55 | 18.3 | 46.9 | 38.2 | 66.2 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 4.9 |
| Caleb Houstan | 44 | 15.1 | 39.8 | 38.1 | 77.3 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 4.9 |
| Joe Ingles | 47 | 17.3 | 41.3 | 41.0 | 85.7 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 4.6 |
| Trevelin Queen | 13 | 12.5 | 36.8 | 17.6 | 75.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 3.1 |
| Chuma Okeke | 36 | 10.9 | 37.6 | 31.1 | 40.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.8 |
| Kevin Harris | 2 | 3.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Jett Howard | 13 | 3.8 | 36.4 | 29.4 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.8 |
| Admiral Schofield | 14 | 3.7 | 37.5 | 30.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.1 |
