The biggest question the Magic faced entering their Sunday season finale vs. the Miami Heat at Amway Center was answered before tipoff.
With the Rockets’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks, which ended over an hour before the Orlando game started, Houston finished with the league’s worst record at 20-62 and secured the best odds for a top-five in the May 17 draft lottery.
That guaranteed the Magic would finish with the league’s second-worst record, removing a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the team before they beat the Heat 125-111 to close at the season at 22-60.
With four opening-game starters — Cole Anthony (sprained left toe), Wendell Carter Jr. (sprained left wrist), Jalen Suggs (bone bruise in right ankle) and Franz Wagner (sprained right ankle) — sidelined, the Magic leaned on their reserves against a top-seeded Heat team that sat most of their playoff rotation.
Seven Orlando players scored 10-plus points, with the Magic tying a franchise record in 3-pointers (23) and attempts (58). They set the record on Jan. 13, 2009, against the Sacramento Kings.
R.J. Hampton scored a season-high 21 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Markelle Fultz finished with 10 points and 15 assists in a season-high 29 minutes for his first double-double since returning from his torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in late February.
Mo Bamba, the lone opening-night starter who played, finished with 21 points (7 of 11), 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. Chuma Okeke had 17 points (6 of 12) and 6 rebounds while Moe Wagner recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.
Two-way players Ignas Brazdeikis and Admiral Schofield combined for 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting.
Devin Cannady, who signed a partially guaranteed multi-year contract Sunday afternoon, finished with 15 points (4 of 9 on 3s) in 33 minutes.
Former Magic star Victor Oladipo led the Heat with a season-high 40 points to go along with 10 rebounds and 7 assists with Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, P.J. Tucker, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, Dewayne Dedmon and Markieff Morris sitting out the game.
With the league’s second-worst record, the Magic will have a 52.1% chance of securing a top-four pick in the June 23 draft.
Orlando’s odds will be:
- 14% for the No. 1 pick
- 13.4% for No. 2
- 12.7% for No. 3
- 12% for No. 4
- 27.8% for No. 5
- 20% for No. 6.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at khprice@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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