Jamahl Mosley, Paolo Banchero Reveal What Makes Magic Special

ORLANDO — While many only see what takes place on the court, relationships and how well a team gets along outside of basketball can often be a determining factor in what a team's ceiling is.

For a young Orlando Magic team in the midst of their best season since 2010, their talent, including two budding stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, was instrumental in the team improving from 34 wins in 2022-23 to 47 and becoming the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs this season.

But beyond the growth on the court by his ascending team, coach Jamahl Mosley credits his team's success to their relationships outside of when they're on the court.

"It's what we've done all year, and I think it's a big portion of what makes this team special," Mosley said. "I've said it before to the group [and] to you all that this group is special, not necessarily because of what it does on the floor. It's how they interact and care about each other off the floor."

That relationship off the court has helped Orlando withstand tough stretches on it, including losing four of its last six games and being on the brink of falling into the play-in tournament before winning a must-win game against the Milwaukee Bucks in the final game of the regular season. It has also helped them withstand an early storm in the first-round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, as the Magic have gone from being down 2-0 to tying the series 2-2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Banchero echoed Mosley's sentiment about the importance of the team's relationship with each other, noting how much easier life is for everyone playing on a team where everyone gets along.

"It helps when you really enjoy being around each other," Banchero said. "It makes it easier to work together and hold each other accountable. I'm really grateful to be on this team and have all these guys who are great humans as well."

Mosley added: "They care about each other's success. They care about doing the right thing and playing the right way. Off-site visits that you saw [like] going to Cole [Anthony's] bowling event [and] giving in the community, I think those things are the things that make this group more special, not just on the court."

For a team whose best days may be ahead of them, having a core who has a strong bond both on and off the court is more than promising. If they can maintain that relationship and improve in the years to come, the Magic will have a chance to go from a young ascending team to a bonafide contender in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando faces Cleveland in Game 5 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, with the winner moving into the driver's seat of advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a 3-2 lead.

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