Look beyond the final score of Saturday’s preseason opener between the Magic and the Heat in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and there’s plenty of intriguing action to be found.
Although there were things that happened during the exhibition that wouldn’t take place in a regular-season setting — for example, both sides sat majority of their starters for most of the second half — Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley has a lot to like and a lot to work on from the 126-118 victory over Miami.
Even without Franz Wagner (rest) and guard Jalen Suggs (left knee trochlea cartilage tear), all five of Orlando’s starters finished with a positive plus-minus rating and the Magic as a whole outrebounded the Heat 58-40 to finish with a 43-15 advantage in second-chance scoring.
The Magic will have four days of practice before they travel to Philadelphia for their second preseason game Friday. Orlando will then return home to host the Heat at Kia Center on Sunday prior to wrapping up the preseason Oct. 16 vs. New Orleans.
Before Orlando flips the page on Saturday’s victory, here’s what was learned from the Sunshine State exhibition:
Rookie impact
Jase Richardson said he felt nervous in the first half when he came off the bench for his preseason debut and it showed when he missed his first four shots.
But the No. 25 pick grew more comfortable as the game went on, especially in the third quarter. During that frame, Richardson converted all three long-range attempts to end with 13 points in the second half in addition to 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.
“The game was just slowing down for me, honestly,” Richardson said. “The first half, I was just trying to rush things and do things I’m usually comfortable with, but I’ve got to learn different ways to get comfortable.”
Mosley noted Richardson’s confidence and speed when he helped initiate the offense at times for Orlando’s second and, later on, third units.
“There’s just a level of confidence that he possesses reading the game, recognizing what guys are doing and how they’re playing him,” Mosley said about the rookie. “His speed is such a big advantage for him, but then the other side of it is we talked all the time about how inquisitive he is and how he wants to know what to do in any situation.”
Banchero block party
It wasn’t just that Paolo Banchero notched 3 blocks in only 13 minutes of first-half action, but he did so in three different ways.
First, the Magic forward blocked a driving hook shot from Miami’s Andrew Wiggins in one-on-one coverage midway through the first quarter. In the second quarter, Banchero recognized that Jaime Jaquez Jr. was driving past Tyus Jones, so he shifted from the right block in the paint to the left side to deny the third-year forward’s layup.
The same frame, Banchero chased down Nikola Jovic in transition and got his third block even as the Heat forward attempted to avoid it by finishing with his non-shooting left hand.
“That’s what it’s going to take for us to win at the highest level,” Mosley said about Banchero. “[Playing] two ways, two sides of the floor. [It is] his ability to score and create mismatches on offense and asking him to do the exact same thing on the defensive end of the floor. Three blocked shots is doing a great job protecting the rim.
“If he plays with that energy and effort each and every single night defensively, it’s going to be a long night for a lot of people,” Mosley added.
Bane connection
Desmond Bane — Orlando’s biggest offseason acquisition — helped push the pace and space the floor in more ways than one.
His presence alone helped open up driving lanes for his teammates and he quickly found chemistry with center Wendell Carter Jr., assisting on two separate cuts to the basket.
Bane also reconnected nicely with Jones, who played with him for three seasons in Memphis. Jones flipped the ball behind him in transition at the right wing to a streaking Bane for an easy layup.
Mosley highlighted Bane’s quick decision-making, his ability to make the extra pass to an open player, and his movement with and without the ball that resulted in 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 13 minutes.
Two-way standouts
Later in the game, Orlando’s pair of two-way players — Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson — saw extended time on the court.
Although Cain missed a pair of triples, all 10 of his points were scored in the paint where he shot 5 of 5 in 16 minutes. Robinson added 4 points but racked up 5 fouls in 9 minutes.
Reece Beekman, who signed with the Magic for training camp, made all 4 of his jump shots in the paint when the 6-foot-3 guard notched 11 points in almost 8 minutes. He is one of multiple Exhibit 10 players battling for Orlando’s last two-way contract.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
