The Magic Insider

Cole Anthony Stayed Ready. The Magic Beat the Hornets Because of It.

The Orlando Magic needed the next man up after the previous next man up went down on Monday night in Charlotte. Cole Anthony "kept his head down and waited for the opportunity," Jonathan Isaac said, and the fifth-year guard delivered the winning spark that the Magic needed.

Mason Williams

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center.
Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images
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As the quarter-mark of the Orlando Magic's season approaches, "next man up" is more than just coach speak. Rather, it's the solid ground beneath their feet, the mantra that quantifies their success.

Leading scorer Paolo Banchero goes down five games into the year? Here comes Franz Wagner, floor leader and All-Star in the making.

Starting big Wendell Carter Jr. misses time? Goga Bitadze and Moe Wagner hold down the fort on the low block – one providing defensive prowess, the other an off-the-bench scoring burst.

So when starting guard Jalen Suggs went from available to questionable to out in a matter of hours Monday night – a process Magic coach Jamahl Mosley called precautionary – 11-year veteran Gary Harris started against the Charlotte Hornets. Seven minutes into the game, Harris suffered his own hamstring strain. Next man up?

Enter Cole Anthony, the fifth-year guard who started slowly this season and fell out of Orlando's normal rotation. In 18 games, Anthony had two DNP-coach's decisions and had logged fewer than 10 minutes in nine of his 16 appearances.

Anthony was brutally honest after his first DNP-CD in Chicago. "Playing like dogs--t," he said. He would have to earn opportunities to win back his coach's trust.

The scoreboard read 25-24 Charlotte with 10:09 left in the first half. The Magic's offense was dreadful. Mosley turned to Anthony, the 10th player available. Anthony's opportunity had arrived.

"What an opportunity for Cole with Suggs out and Harris, both with hamstring problems," Magic play-by-play commentator David Steele said. "[He's] fallen out of the regular rotation. Got a chance to get some big minutes tonight — [the] team needs him."

On his first defensive possession, Anthony grabbed a long rebound and, with no hesitation, threw a three-quarter court pass to Franz Wagner in stride. A layup for the lead. The next Magic bucket came a couple possessions later, when Anthony cut from the right wing to the left low block and scored his first points of the night.

A running right-handed hook shot would drop, then a pull-up midrange jumper from the left baseline. When Anthony hit a left-wing three-pointer, he'd scored nine points. At halftime, the Magic's 10th man was the leading scorer.

"Felt amazing, I'm not even gonna lie," Anthony said, still dripping with sweat as the subject of the broadcast's intermission interview. "It felt really good. It'd been a minute, so just blessed and thankful that I'm able to be in a position right now to have an impact with this team."

Orlando still trailed, 46-42, but Anthony liked his team's chances to gut out a win. And they did – enduring a 6-for-27 third quarter to post 37 points – seven from Anthony – in the final quarter for a 95-84 victory.

Anthony played 17 of 24 second-half minutes and all of that fourth quarter. His 16 points matched a season high, and he added eight rebounds and four assists.

"I thought it was amazing that the guys recognized the contribution of Cole Anthony," Mosley said postgame. "To be not in [the] rotation at times, in, out ... that's the definition of staying ready for your moment.”

"It was cool, man," Anthony said following the win. "Put a lot of work in, and when stuff doesn't go your way, it's hard to sometimes cope with that. I've just been doing what I can to stay ready, and by the Lord's blessing, shots fell tonight, so I'd love to do it again."

Some of the reasons that Anthony hasn't seen consistent action were factors in his season-high minute share Monday night: production and consistency. In his fifth season now with the Magic, his role has been variable night to night and year to year. For the first time in his career, it's a battle to secure any playing time.

He was playing poorly and the Magic are just deeper and better. And then there are nights like Monday when the injuries take a toll.

"That's what I tell myself, to stay ready," Anthony said. "Just be consistent and whenever my name is called, just be ready."

"He's a professional," forward Jonathan Isaac said of Anthony. "This league is not easy. Sometimes it's just not your night. Other times, you don't even have the opportunity for it to be your night. But he's kept his head down and waited for the opportunity, which happened to be this game – and he's a big reason why we won the game. Kudos to him. I know he's excited and happy."

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

  • FRANZ HAS 'GOTTA BE' AN ALL-STAR, SHAMS SAYS: Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner has been turning heads and forcing people to take notice of his recent performances. Now, ESPN's Shams Charania says he should be an All-Star lock. CLICK HERE
  • MAGIC-HORNETS RECAP: The Orlando Magic offense, stuck in quicksand for three quarters Monday night, erupted for 37 points in the final period to back up its defense and win for the ninth time in 10 games. CLICK HERE
  • HARRIS LEAVES HORNETS GAME WITH HAMSTRING STRAIN: Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris left Monday's game vs. Charlotte with a left hamstring strain. CLICK HERE
  • MAGIC-KNICKS BACK ON NATIONAL TV: The NBA and TNT reversed a decision made less than two weeks ago to take the Magic-Knicks Dec. 3 game off of national TV, announcing Sunday that TNT would again pick up the exclusive broadcast. CLICK HERE
  • COLUMN: WAGNER WORTH EVERY PENNY: The Orlando Magic met equal parts praise and skepticism when they gave Franz Wagner a $224-million max rookie extension. Fifteen games into the season, Wagner's on an All-Star trajectory. CLICK HERE
  • COULD BANCHERO RETURN BY CHRISTMAS?: Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero told ESPN's Marc Spears that he feels he could be back by Christmas from a torn right oblique muscle. CLICK HERE
  • MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times, and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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