In Banchero's Absence, Tristan da Silva Shines for Magic in Altered Rotations

While testing lineup combinations that could help the Orlando Magic survive a month or more without leading scorer Paolo Banchero, coach Jamahl Mosley turned to Tristan da Silva for his first real playing time Friday night. The rookie looked good.

Tristan da Silva scored 17 points in 20 minutes for the Orlando Magic on Friday night. / @OrlandoMagic on Twitter

CLEVELAND – Ahead of Friday night's game with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and his staff went to the drawing board.

Orlando was facing the first of many games without All-Star and leading scorer Paolo Banchero, whose torn right oblique will sideline him for a minimum four to six weeks.

Navigating rotations without Banchero, Mosley said, would be like putting together puzzle pieces based on feel. Against Cleveland, rookie Tristan da Silva was one of those pieces for the first time.

In a 120-109 loss to the Cavaliers, the Magic used 16 five-man lineup combinations per NBA.com's tool, tied for the most used by the Magic in a single game with the Oct. 30 loss at Chicago. The Magic's second-highest lineup in terms of minutes played logged only 5.5 minutes – the fewest of any night's second lineup through six games.

"First of all, trying to keep guys [as] fresh as possible knowing we have the back end of this trip as well," Mosley said postgame. "But again, it was part of trying to see which combinations would work, who could play some specific minutes, but also being aware of how not to run guys into the ground."

Orlando was handicapped further Friday by the injury absences of Goga Bitadze (left foot tendon strain) and Wendell Carter Jr. (right knee tendonitis). At times, Orlando, one of the biggest teams in the league, went center-less.

Game one without Banchero was just game six of the Magic's season. Any more extended injury concerns would create a worsening issue for positional depth and jeopardize the Magic's prospects even further.

In the meantime, the Magic will lean more on Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner to try and cover for Banchero's production. Suggs' career-high 28 points Friday night also came with eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block. Wagner added 17 with eight boards, six assists and a steal. The brunt of other contributions will likely be by committee.

That brings about opportunity, a popular word at Friday's shootaround. While Banchero's injury is a somber reality, it means chances for others to audition for more time.

Enter da Silva, the rookie wing from Colorado. Orlando's No. 18 overall pick in this summer's NBA Draft logged his first real rotational minutes Friday night and recorded his first NBA bucket with 3 minutes 50 seconds left in the first quarter.

But that wouldn't be all. da Silva had 17 points, shooting 6-of-8 overall and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. In 20 minutes vs. the Cavaliers, da Silva delivered an effective field goal percentage of 93.8 and a 91.2 true shooting percentage.

His 17 points tie for second-most by an NBA rookie this season (Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers, 18; Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks, 17.)

.@OrlandoMagic forward Tristan da Silva's 17 points against the Cavs match the second most for a @NBA rookie this season. Dalton Knecht's 18 are the most. Zaccharie Risacher also had 17. pic.twitter.com/tkySp34dok

— Dan Savage (@Dan_Savage) November 2, 2024

Of the Magic with 10 or more minutes of playing time, da Silva was the only one with a positive net rating. Orlando needs a boost in toughness and versatility after losing Banchero. da Silva came through in his time on the floor.

"[He] wasn't afraid of the moment," Mosley said. "Played multiple positions. Didn't bat an eye. But again, he's a professional. He understands how to work, his approach, stays patient, stays ready. I just think that was a bright spot there, for him to be able to come in and step in and do the things he was able to do."

"I feel like that was a good start, kinda showcased what I've got," da Silva said Friday night. "Shout out to coach Mosley trusting me out there with Paolo being out. I was just out there trying to provide some energy off the bench."

As his own worst critic, da Silva said there were still some things he wanted to fix. While he posted the best individual offensive rating (134.9) of any Magic player versus Cleveland, he also posted the worst individual defensive rating (133.3)

da Silva worked on fitting into Orlando's defensive system during the preseason, with the understanding that defense as much as his scoring ability would earn him a chance to play. So da Silva's assessment is correct: There is area for improvement, but that was a solid start.

Don't mistake him for being out of place, though. When asked postgame if he was comfortable on the floor, he tossed a question back: "Did it look like it?" he said with a smile.

But where does that come from?

"Just a lot of people pouring into me," da Silva said. "Teammates, the people I've got in my circle, coaches giving me trust out there. So yeah, it just felt good."

"I told him in the locker room, I said, 'Continue to build off this one as we go forward,'" guard Jalen Suggs said. "I think it was great for him. He stepped up, played great basketball. He was in all the right spots, crashing the glass, doing everything that was asked of him.

"Very proud of Tristan," Suggs added. "Love that he comes to hoop. Love the demeanor he comes to work with every day ... [I'm] very excited to see his growth."

Staying afloat in the East without Banchero will ask a lot of Orlando's players to make a bigger contribution.

The rookie got the call Friday night. He made an impression.

Up Next

The Magic's five-game road trip continues Sunday evening in a matchup with the Western Conference Finalists from a season ago, the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• MAGIC-CAVS RECAP: The shorthanded Magic played well for three quarters, but a first-quarter deficit was too much to surmount in a 120-109 loss to the Cavaliers. CLICK HERE
• OPPORTUNITY IN BANCHERO'S UNWELCOME INJURY: "What we talked about this morning as a group was, it sucks," Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of the torn oblique injury that will sideline All-Star Paolo Banchero. At the same time, "it's an opportunity for guys to step up in their role." CLICK HERE
• MAGIC BURNING QUESTIONS AFTER PAOLO'S INJURY: The outlook for the Orlando Magic's 2024-25 season shifted Thursday night as they face a lengthy stretch without their do-everything All-Star. CLICK HERE
• BANCHERO OUT INDEFINITELY: A torn right oblique will sideline Paolo Banchero for the foreseeable future. DETAILS
• 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

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?

Follow 'Orlando Magic on SI' on Facebook and like our page. Follow Magic beat reporter Mason Williams on Twitter/X @mvsonwilliams. Also, bookmark our homepage so you never miss a story.