Orlando Magic basketball returns tonight! They take to the court to face a San Antonio Spurs team.
Being played in Las Vegas the U.K. tip off time is 4am. You will need an active subscription to the NBA League Pass to watch Summer League games.
What Is Summer League?
For those of you whom may not be aware; Summer League isn’t about the full squad. It is a competitive event for rookie, 2nd year & G League players (so young & developmental players).
The competition sees all 32 NBA teams field a squad. Each team plays 4 games to determine who progresses into the knockout phase of the competition. Unlike NBA games in Summer League quarters are 10 minutes in length not 12. Other than that the same rules apply.
The Return Of Mo
The most anticipated part of Summer League for Magic fans is the first opportunity to see Mo Bamba again. He has been out since January, when his season was ended by a stress fracture to the left tibia. He has clearly been working to this come back & appears to have added some muscle to his frame.
The number 6 draft pick of 2018 will be our teams face & focus. Mo has said of Summer League “The goal of this whole thing is to get better. It’s not a matter of putting up the best stats possible; it’s just to get better, learn & really, really buy into what the coaching staff is preaching & be the best version of myself.”
Absentees
Notable absentees from our squad are Melvin Frazier Jr, Isaiah Briscoe & Chuma Okeke. Our 2nd year man Frazier has recently had surgery to a stress fracture of the right tibia. This year’s draft pick Okeke is out whilst recovering from a torn ACL.
Briscoe came to our notice during the 2018 Summer League. He forced himself into Steve Clifford’s rotations, his efforts rewarded by coming off the bench as the Magic’s back up point guard. He helped change our season around. Isaiah was very unfortunate to see his opportunity shut down during February, tearing a meniscus in the right knee & subsequently being waived in April.
This decision was necessary to allow the team to get a player in on the injury exception granted by the NBA. Briscoe is a player many of us would like to see back at the club. If he can regain his fitness then this could possibly be on a two way contract with the Lakeland Magic, which would give extra depth to what is seen as the Magic’s weakest position.
So there you have it, Orlando Magic basketball is back (in a form). I have to say I’m looking forward to it.
LETS GO MAGIC!
