The Orlando Magic have had a lot of success this season. Even in this deep trough of injuries and coming off Sunday's disappointing loss to the Utah Jazz, the Orlando Magic have put and kept themselves in a position to achieve their goals this season.
Still, several players have not lived up to their billing. Orlando has had to adjust and fill in for several key players seemingly missing their marks from last year.
It could be Wendell Carter losing his starting job to Goga Bitadze amid some frustrating injuries and a poor shooting start. It could be Kentavious Caldwell-Pope delivering everything but the 3-point shooting he was supposed to bring to the team. It could be Jonathan Isaac looking a step slow after his first fully healthy summer and his much-talked-about weight gain. It could be Cole Anthony losing his shooting touch and no longer looking like a fit for this team.
The Magic were winning, but they left a lot of questions from these role players. And they only got louder when the Magic began facing the litany of injuries they faced.
There is light at the end of the tunnel to the injuries and feeling whole again. And there is still plenty of time for key players to turn some narratives around.
A game like Monday's 103-94 victory over the New York Knicks will go a long way toward getting key role players back on the right track. They all contributed to that stunning win as the undermanned Magic took down the Knicks on the road and avoided a season-series sweep.
"I can't say it enough: It is who we are," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Monday's game. "The next-man-up mentality, the by-committee mentality, the not making excuses for anything or any situation is what this group is all about. I'm so proud of this group for continuing to battle and continuing to fight. Different guys stepping up, different guys stepping in. Guys just stepped up, that's what this group is all about."
Cole Anthony steps up again
It started with Cole Anthony leading the way with 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting and 3-for-6 shooting from three.
Even in a season where he is averaging a career-low 6.5 points per game and shooting 37.7 percent from the floor. Even he has admitted he has struggled and understands why he has been left on the bench.
Still, Anthony has been called on more than most players with all the injuries and the lack of attackers. He had the 35-point effort in the comeback win over the Miami Heat and big shots and moments in other wins during this injury stretch.
Anthony again was the Magic's best downhill attacker and got the trust to make all the decisions to close this game out. He played 36 minutes and paced the team throughout the game. He was a constant threat when the team needed a fulcrum to lead the way.
"I think we continue to say it about Cole: Guys need to know their number is going to get called," Mosley said after Monday's win. "That's the beauty of this team, you're never out. It's a long season. You staying prepared and our coaches doing a phenomenal job of keeping these guys prepared and keeping them ready, so when their number is called they can step up into that moment. Each one of these guys did."
Confidence goes a long way.
Orlando Magic show off their strength
That was the case too for Jonathan Isaac.
The Orlando Magic struggled to shoot early in the game and seemed to be fading away like they did against the Utah Jazz the night before. The New York Knicks are still a team with a lot of firepower.
Isaac checked in and immediately helped the Magic steal some extra possessions with his offensive rebounds. He got some putbacks and kept possessions alive. Isaac finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, marking just his fifth game with at least 10 points.
Isaac has not looked solid offensively at all this year, shooting 24.7 percent from three, with some very bad misses. He hit his only three in this game—a big one late in the third quarter to extend the lead to five. But that lift with his size, strength and energy around the basket are what the Magic imagined.
Their biggest lift came from Wendell Carter.
Wendell Carter has essentially lost his starting spot to Goga Bitadze because he lost his outside shot and struggled offensively. He is a solid defender, but not nearly the shot-blocker or rim protector Bitadze can be.
There should not be a competition, both can contribute something. But Carter had backslid to 7.9 points per game, the lowest of his career, and 46.6 percent shooting. He entered Monday's game shooting 8 for 50 (16.0 percent) from three.
Carter has started to find his groove again after the plantar fasciitis sucked away the early part of his season.
Wendell Carter was a presence on the inside with Karl-Anthony Towns missing the game after injuring his knee in Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. Carter finished with 19 points and four assists, making 8 of 11 shots and all three of his 3-pointers.
It was a refreshing game with how aggressive he was attacking the basket and how confident he was shooting from the mid-range. The Magic have been waiting to see this version of Carter.
"We call him the humble beast," Cole Anthony said after Monday's game. "We've been telling him when Dell is aggressive he's an animal. Today he was aggressive, got after it and really helped us win this game."
Carter has shown some signs of life lately even with his role bouncing around in the last few weeks. He is averaging 13.6 points per game in his last five games and shooting 55.8 percent from the floor.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope closes the deal
And finally, the game closed with a pair of big 3-pointers from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope finished with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, making three of his six 3-point attempts. Those threes were big. His final two stretched the lead to eight after penetration got the ball kicking around the horn to him on the wing and to nine after Anthony kicked it out to him in the corner as the shot clock expired.
That is what the Orlando Magic signed him for. He has delivered the intangibles, now he was delivering the shot-making.
"I think he has exceeded all of those things," Mosley said after Monday's win. "We knew what he was capable of doing because of his experience—the championships that he has won, his poise, his big shot-making. All of those things are things we thought were coming. But his voice, his leadership, his patience, his communication with each one of these guys . . . you can't measure that. I think he is so invaluable to this team with the way that he plays. And he brings it every single night."
Caldwell-Pope has been everything the Magic hoped for as a leader and a defender. He has been a perfect fit.
But Caldwell-Pope entered the game shooting a career-worst 30.1 percent and averaging only 9.1 points per game, the fewest since his rookie year.
Caldwell-Pope has struggled to find much traction. But he promised his New Year's Resolution was to be more aggressive looking for his shot. He is averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting 10 for 23 (43.5 percent) in four games in January. That includes a 1-for-8 showing against the Jazz.
All of that came together to make for a huge upset victory over the Knicks. One the Magic always believed they could win. One where so many key players had to step up and shake off the first half of their season.
There is still enough time for all of these players to reclaim themselves. Monday was a step in the right direction and proof that they are still in there.
And how dangerous the Magic can be when everyone is playing to their potential and playing Magic basketball.