The Amway Center was the loudest I have ever heard it in person tonight. Big play after big play was being rejoiced and the ground could be felt shaking at times. The crowd of 19,299 made their presence felt, and although there was still a minor issue of a “green invasion”, it pales in comparison to the total takeovers we are used to. The Magic showed out for their home crowd, keeping it a tight game against the reigning Eastern Conference champions all the way to the end.

“Our fans are absolutely amazing, I think they willed our guys in so many of these situations where the game could have gone sideways really quick. Our guys felt that energy within the building… you hear the chants, the defensive chants, the Magic chants. Those are things that our guys feel, and that’s why they play just as hard and the effort is going to be consistent.” Said Head Coach Jamahl Mosley, after the game.

This response specifically lets me know how truthfully important it is to have a supportive home crowd. When I began to ask Coach initially about the crowd, his face seemed to light up as if he was just waiting to gush about how electric the Amway atmosphere was and what it did for the team. Showing out at home games is going to be a big deciding factor in the Magic’s competitive abilities this season.

In the end, the Magic fell to Boston 126-120 in a devastating home opener that left many shocked. It was once again the collapse of the late 4th quarter that marked Orlando’s loss, initiated with a Derrick White and-1 and a Jayson Tatum pull-up three point field goal. Hard-nosed defense was played on both sides, however Boston definitely had an edge in advantage creation. The zone coverage the Magic were playing seemed a step slow— it was apparent after nearly half of every Boston possessions. Coach Joe Mazzulla’s offense that relied on collapsing the paint and kicking out to the perimeter always left a man open, and the Magic paid for it. 

Paolo Banchero racked up 23 points, becoming only the fourth 1st overall pick in NBA history to notch the 20 point mark in his first 3 games — a feat yet to be accomplished since Elvin Haye, 53 years prior. Whilst efficiency still managed to be a struggle in this performance, Banchero more than made up for it at the foul line, shooting 9-for-11 on free throws and drawing contact with ease. Paolo also recorded two turnovers tonight, his first NBA game recording less than four. I asked Paolo about how he controlled his turnover issue tonight, and this was his response:

“I think I had two (turnovers) today but I had a couple drives that got swatted out of my hands, and I count those as turnovers. If you ask me, I probably had four or five. Definitely gotta be stronger with the ball, still getting it smacked out of my hands a lot. Got to adjust.”

Banchero’s willingness to take accountability is something I have yet to see from a 19-year-old, all while being the premier star of this team. He truly seems to go the extra mile when it comes to understanding his flaws, and the adjustments made in tonight’s game made it clear the work is translating. Banchero’s finished the game with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and1 block.

Franz Wagner started out the game hot with 16 first half points, yet cooled down in the second half only racking up two more points. The veteran, Terrence Ross, was one of the large headlines of the night, as the Torch lit up for 29 points and showed his importance as a gravitational scorer. Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed his 2nd double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

This young team has to prove they’re willing to close out games just as strong as they start them. Carrying momentum and maintaining runs has been one of the team’s largest issues. That will most certainly be tested soon, as tomorrow the Magic face New York in Madison Square Garden at 7:30 PM.