Midway through the fourth quarter, the Orlando Magic had already put away the Washington Wizards. The starters did not even need to play the final period as the Magic ran away from their division rivals.
This was still an important time for veteran guard Cole Anthony. He needs every opportunity to make an impression that he can get. That is what happens with a player who has fallen out of the rotation.
So when he stared down Alex Sarr on the perimeter and rose for a three-pointer, he gave a quick stare to his coach on the sideline. He wanted to make sure his coach saw that moment.
The Cole Anthony bravado was back.
There is no apparent bad blood there. This is who Anthony is. And that is the point too. The Magic needed to see Anthony return to his usual boisterous, confident play. If he needs to stare down his coach, that is a positive sign for Anthony amid a difficult start to the season.
It means he is finding his way again.
A 16-point, 3-for-4 shooting effort (2 for 3 on threes and 8 for 8 from the foul line) against the Wizards with the backdrop of Jalen Suggs' foul trouble was a huge opportunity for Anthony. He got thrown into meaningful minutes and he delivered.
That is what the Magic want from their players—to keep working and be ready for the opportunity when they come around.
"Bodies down. Wendell , P5 ain't playing, J-Suggs got into foul trouble. It is literally the next-man-up mentality," Anthony said after Sunday's win. "We are a team full of professionals. We come in, we put the work in and stay ready. My name was called and I'm ready to hoop. That's what happens."
Anthony has had to be ready when called upon for the first time in his career. He has had to deal with his own inconsistency and inconsistent minutes for the first time in his career.
Anthony has struggled mightily to start the season, averaging a career-worst 4.8 points per game and shooting 13 for 37 (35.1 percent) from the floor and 5 for 19 (26.3 percent) from three.
Anthony lost his spot in the rotation by the third game after a 1-for-10 start in the first two games. Anthony was asked about the apparent demotion and seemed to agree that he was not playing well enough. He understood coach Jamahl Mosley's explanation and reasoning for his demotion to the bench.
Anthony's downturn had major ramifications for the team. Their usually powerful bench lost its leading scorer from last year. Orlando was searching for some stability and something of a replacement, most likely from Anthony Black and his development.
But Anthony was simply not performing. He had to wait for opportunity and showcase his energy when the Magic got blown out. It was always little moments even in games that did not matter.
That was why Anthony's showing in the win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday remained so encouraging.
It was not merely that he scored eight points on 3-for-5 shooting in playing the entire fourth quarter. It was that he played with more energy, diving on the floor for a loose ball to get a steal and a runout dunk and competing more on defense.
Following that up with playing important minutes in Sunday's game adds to the evidence that Anthony is finding himself again.
"I thought Cole was great," Mosley said after Sunday's win. "We've said this before, for anybody who is not necessarily in the regular rotation, they stay ready. Our coaches do a phenomenal job keeping these guys engaged, working on their game, watching film and keeping them locked in. Cole is a prime example of that.
"He made the three on the right wing and came back and stared at me the whole time. He just made six in a row. That's who he is. That's what we ask of him and who we need him to be. That fearless, confident leader on the floor when he's out there."
Mosley also took note of that staredown. And he liked seeing that side to Anthony.
If Anthony is looking more like himself again, then there is a chance he can climb back into the rotation. And that impact is necessary for the team.
The context matters, of course. The Magic led fairly comfortably in both games this weekend. Anthony filled in for some critical minutes but also built confidence at the end of games when the result was decided.
Every moment matters though. Every time he hits the court is a moment to leave an impression.
Those opportunities may be few at this juncture. He may have to fight for scraps. But this weekend was a big step when the Magic needed key minutes from him. He and the team know what he is capable of.
"It's one of those things where it really felt good," Anthony said after Sunday's win. "It hasn't been the start of the season that I would like. I'm hopeful. I continue to just put my head down and grind and do what I need to do on and off the court. Going to keep trying to put these performances together and earn my way back into the lineup and do what I can do."
This is the mentality the team wants from all of its players. Anthony knows he can compete in the NBA—again, he led the team in scoring off the bench last year with 11.6 points per game on a 49.6-percent effective field goal percentage in what he admitted was a difficult personal year for him.
With how long the season, Anthony will have his moment again. To see him step up when the team needed him was proof that he will be ready when his number is called again.