Anthony Black grew up in Orlando Magic's win over Indiana Pacers

Jalen Suggs was all smiles following the Orlando Magic's 119-115 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

He had a good game himself with 25 points, making 6 of 13 threes, and seven assists. It was a game that showcased how far Suggs has come individually in the last two years.

He was rightfully beaming too with what Paolo Banchero did, scoring 50 points for the first time in his career.

But Suggs' eyes lit up most when the door to his right opened up while he was answering questions from the media about Anthony Black. The 6-foot-7 second-year guard peaked his head in to join him at the desk.

Suggs immediately stopped answering the question and grinned, urging Black to join him at the desk and dapping him up before playfully pulling his chair out so he could join him at the desk.

As much as Banchero's 50-point game meant a lot to everyone on this Magic team, everyone also acknowledged they would not have won without Anthony Black's tie-breaking 3-pointer with 33 seconds left. And everyone was beaming about how confidently the young guard took the shot and the faith he rewarded with the make.

Everyone could not wait to discuss Black's game and how much he has grown this year. This game was a breakthrough.

"That honestly won the game for us—that three and some of the plays that he made," Banchero said after Monday's win. "We don't win that game without AB. He just showed so much growth in this game alone. I think he was frustrated with a couple of plays and missed layups. Last year, he probably would have taken himself out of the game mentally. This time around, he channeled it into something positive. Stops and being a pest on defense and shooting the ball with confidence. He didn't care if it was a make or a miss. We're all really proud of him. That's just the tip of the iceberg for him. He is just getting started."

Black's big moment was one of trust.

Banchero played decoy driving toward the middle of the paint and taking two defenders with him. He fired a pass to Jalen Suggs who made a ghost screen and beelined to the wing. With the defense closing in on him, Suggs pump faked and sidestepped. That is when he spied the defender coming up from the corner to contest his shot.

Suggs trusted his teammates and passed the ball to Black for the decisive three.

It was Black's eighth point and only his second field goal of the game. Indeed, he missed a three from the opposite corner three minutes earlier with a chance to tie the game.

Still, the Magic went right back to him. The second-year guard has gained a lot of trust, even finishing the game with a spot in the lineup opened by Franz Wagner's illness.

It was a big step for him and for the team.

"I think it just shows us taking another step forward," Black said after Monday's game. "We're a young team. We've got a lot of young guys. It could be easy to crumble in those types of situations. Today was definitely a big step. Stopping the run, taking a timeout and coming together as a group and deciding it was time to get back in the game was huge for us. We definitely showed great poise, control and definitely good leadership by the coaches and older dudes to bring us together and calm us down on the third."

Black grew from rough rookie season

Anthony Black's maturation has mirrored the team's maturation early in the season.

Last year was undoubtedly a difficult rookie season for him. He got thrown into the deep end with the starters following Markelle Fultz's injury and mostly held the ship steady. He looked ready to contribute immediately as a defender, but struggled to find his footing otherwise.

He ended the season averaging 4.6 points and 1.3 assists per game with a low usage rate of 12.7 percent. But he was out of the rotation by the end of the season.

The last notable minutes he got were for the pair of March games against the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers filling in for Jalen Suggs. Black struggled in both games, looking like a rookie playing in playoff-level games. He did not play more than 10 minutes in consecutive games for the rest of the season.

Black was out of the rotation for the playoffs. He needed some more experience and growth.

That is what Black did this offseason. He was seemingly in the AdventHealth Training Center all summer and showed hints of what he was working on in Summer League. Throughout preseason and training camp, players were buzzing about him and his performance.

Black is showing off just how much he has developed.

"I'm so proud of that young man," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Monday's game. "We said it before this summer, the work that he has put in and the time he has waited and understanding how good he can be. He has never wavered. He continues to put the work in. We talk about it over and over again, he was in the gym all summer. He's not afraid. He sits down and guards. He gets big rebounds. He's not afraid of matchups. I could not be more proud of that young man for his resiliency and his grit as well as the rest of this group."

Black is averaging 9.5 points per game and 3.8 assists per game. He is shooting 48.3 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent from three. Considering shooting was the biggest concern with him entering the Draft, his 3-point development and confidence has been a major boost.

That is what led to Monday's moment when he confidently took and made that three-pointer. That was something Black was not supposed to be able to do. Certianly not this soon.

It was a sign of how far he has come and the work that he put in this offseason to step into this role.

Anthony Black has gained his team's trust

The Orlando Magic let go of a trusted veteran in Markelle Fultz to give their rookie a chance. He has rewarded that faith.

More importantly, his work has helped build the trust enough for Jalen Suggs to pass up the good shot for the better shot in the corner. That does not just happen.

"I love AB like my brother," Suggs said after Monday's game. "I see so much of myself in him. Especially last year with him dealing with the ebbs and flows of an NBA season, staying with him and staying with his work. I love that kid. . . . To see him get this moment, it was great. AB almost brought me to tears today because I've seen it. He's been here all summer. He's worked his tail off. He hasn't complained. All he's done is prepare himself for a moment's call. Today was his moment and he stepped into it with ultimate confidence. I couldn't be more happy for him."

It still feels like things are just beginning for Black. And if this is the start of things, just think how much better he is going to become.

Monday's moment was a big one then. It was proof of the work Black has put in and proof that he can trust that work moving forward.

Black has indeed come a long way already.