The Orlando Magic have one chance left to extend their season, and it is going to take the best performance possible from Paolo Banchero and the rest of the team.
ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic are in a do-or-die situation as they face the Charlotte Hornets in the No. 8/ No. 9 game of the NBA Play-In Tournament. If the Magic want to advance to the playoffs, they will need the best possible performance from Paolo Banchero.
Banchero has struggled in his last two games, both of which were critical matchups against the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. In both contests, he shot 7/22 from the field, 0-5 from 3-point range and committed six turnovers.
Banchero’s recent performances have sparked backlash from various media personalities, and coach Jamahl Mosley responded to those talking points during Friday’s shootaround
“I wish I could say that I listen to any of it,” Mosley said. “So, I don't. I walk in and I watch Paolo every single day. I watch how he works. I watch him with his teammates. I watch him with his coaching staff. That's all that I can go off of, and that's all I'll continue to go off of.
“He and I's conversations, his conversations with his teammates, him in the film room, him in the film sessions, that's all I go off of,” Mosley added. “So, the talking heads, that's probably a question that only they can answer, I guess.”
Overall, it has been an underwhelming season for the Magic given the expectations they had entering the season. However, it is time to put lingering frustrations to rest in an effort to produce the best performance possible.
“The only answer you can have to that is to stay in the present moment,” Mosley said. “If you look in the past, you get stuck there. And our guys need to have the ability to just stay in the moment.
“And that's what they've done,” he added. “They've proven in moments like this, single-game eliminations, that they can perform.”
Orlando will also have to demonstrate continuity and urgency to avoid the lights going out on its season.
“I think, you know, the sense of urgency,” Mosley said. “Being able to play together, tied together on both ends of the floor. That sense of urgency, that toughness, that physicality that we know we play with when we're at our best.”
During the pregame press conference, Mosley expressed gratitude for being in this situation.
“As I was driving in, I’m sitting there thinking how grateful I am for this opportunity,” Mosley said. “It’d be so easy to say what we could have, should have done. Those things didn’t happen. And so, you’re in this situation, you have the opportunity.”
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