Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley faces a challenge in adjusting his rotation after All-Star forward Paolo Banchero was sidelined indefinitely with a torn right oblique. Mosley will rely heavily on the team’s depth as they continue their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
The Mavericks, looking to recover from a 108-102 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, aim to improve their 3-2 record.
In their first game without Banchero, the Magic struggled, losing 120-109 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Banchero, who was averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists through the first five games, sustained his injury in a loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks.
In Friday’s loss, Jalen Suggs scored a career-high 28 points, while Franz Wagner contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Rookie Tristan da Silva also made an impact off the bench with 17 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Orlando centers Goga Bitadze (left foot tendon strain) and Wendell Carter Jr. (right knee tendinitis) missed Friday’s game and are questionable for Sunday’s contest.
Dallas began their five-game homestand with a foul-plagued loss to Houston. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 29 points, Kyrie Irving added 28, and Klay Thompson had 12. The Mavericks have committed more fouls than their opponents in each of their first five games, including 27 personal fouls on Thursday.
Coach Jason Kidd would like to see Thompson take more shots per game. The veteran guard is in his first season with the Mavericks after 11 successful seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
