Orlando Magic felt the frustration.
The team was struggling to get its shots to fall — open or otherwise — and saw a deficit grow. Orlando could not seem to get back into the game. Open shots, turnovers, shots right at the basket, nobody had the explanation for why the Magic were not clawing their way back to the game.
That frustration boiled over when Cole Anthony tried taking a charge and instead got called for a block. Anthony pushed a bit too hard for the foul and got a technical foul for his trouble.
Jalen Suggs would pick up a second technical foul for the team when he grabbed one of the officials’ shoulder trying to display the contact he was feeling — and not getting called — on one of his drives.
It was that kind of game. And the Magic’s poor shooting sapped their focus defensively as they struggled to make shots offensively.
The Orlando Magic went cold in the third quarter and fell too far behind to catch up as frustration caught up wit the team in Summer League.
The game got away from the Orlando Magic in the third quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers built a 15-point lead on their way to a 94-84 victory. The Cavaliers shot 48.6-percent from the floor and held the Magic to 39.0-percent shooting. The game can be that simple sometimes as Orlando struggled to get the offense going again.
It was a physical and unorganized contest for both teams, but the Magic went cold from the field in the third quarter. Open looks did not fall as the Cavaliers played an aggressive style of defense. Frustration mounted over for Orlando with Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs both picking up technical fouls arguing with the referees.
Orlando’s second unit settled things down in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers had an answer for every Magic bucket.
Jalen Suggs had a few highlight-reel plays in his second summer league game. He had a draw-dropping putback dunk toward the end of the second quarter: Suggs sprinted from the three-point line and finished with authority over the Cavaliers’ defender.
PUTBACK. POSTER. @jalensuggs #MagicSummer || @AdventHealth pic.twitter.com/I0Ed45YArG
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 11, 2021
He would follow that play with a nice dish to R.J. Hampton for a three-pointer. And then he added another poster dunk for good measure in the third quarter. Suggs has been a walking highlight and the team and fans should be delighted with his play so far.
Suggs finished the game with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He had a better game creating offense for his teammates. Frustration got the best of him toward the end of the third quarter but the rookie closed out the period with a floater. Suggs faced adversity for the first time as a professional and it should serve as a learning experience.
Franz Wagner had a better showing than last game. Wagner scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds. But Wagner’s bread and butter is his movement without the ball.
He had one play where he took 7-footer Evan Mobley off the dribble and finished with an up-and-under layup. Wagner has not looked comfortable creating offense off the dibble in two games. But it is still summer league, and the rookie has plenty of time to build his confidence.
R.J. Hampton cut down on the turnovers this game and knocked down three of his six 3-point attempts. He scored nine points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field, which is not impressive from a sophomore player in a summer league game.
But Hampton had a key moment that might go unnoticed. He took on a leadership role and played a major role in calming down his teammates Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs late in the third when tempers flared. Hampton was able to calmly explain his teammates’ cases to the referees.
Cole Anthony had an abysmal outing shooting the basketball. You can tell he was trying to get going offensively, but his shots did not go down. He missed two back-to-back threes on one possession.
Anthony had a problem with shooting efficiency last season and that is something he needs to work on. He only had four points on 2-for-10 shooting. He grabbed three rebounds and dished out three assists in only 17 minutes of action.
The Orlando Magic are back in action Thursday against the Boston Celtics as Summer League continues.