The Magic Insider

Magic's Chemistry on Full Display in Dominant Summer League Win over Cavs

The Orlando Magic were on the same page from the opening tip in their 27-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas.

Nathaniel Marrero

The Orlando Magic bench reacts to a late-game call versus the Cavaliers in their first 2K25 Summer League game in Las Vegas.
The Orlando Magic bench reacts to a late-game call versus the Cavaliers in their first 2K25 Summer League game in Las Vegas. / Becky Rigel - Orlando Magic on Sports Illustrated
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ORLANDO — Anytime a team plays together for the first time, there's always the question of how long it'll take for them to gel.

For the Orlando Magic's summer league team, that connection seemingly happened the moment they stepped on the court against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Orlando's 2023 first-round picks Anthony Black and Jett Howard and 2024 first-round pick Tristan da Silva led the way in a one-sided 106-79 drubbing of the Cavaliers in the opening game of the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas at the Pavilion.

The trio of Black, da Silva and Howard combined for 55 points and 11 assists in the win and they each had a plus-minus of over 30. Jay Huff also had an impressive outing, scoring 16 points for Orlando.

"I'm not surprised, but it is impressive," Black said of his chemistry with Howard and da Silva. "Having three young dudes that can play, kind of interchange and do different things. There's times with Tristan is handling [the ball], I'm setting and Jett's setting and it all looks the same as if we're all switchable."

Magic summer league coach Lionel Chalmers also spoke highly of the immediate connection between Black, da Silva and Howard.

"Impressed but I'm not surprised," Chalmers said. "I think they're doing a good job off the court of talking to each other and joking with each other and I think that has a lot to do with it. They're very cerebral players so it's easy to throw it in and work together as they do."

Orlando got off to a red-hot start, leading by as many as 20 points on two separate occasions in the first quarter. The Magic went into halftime up by 21 points and saw their lead balloon to 35 at one point in the fourth quarter.

Howard paced the offense, leading Orlando with 22 points and he shot 5 of 10 on his 3-pointers. Along with his ability to shoot the lights out of the gym, he showcased his passing ability with four assists, including finding da Silva in the corner for a 3.

"Aggressive, just like we talked about," Chalmers said of Howard's performance. "We've been preaching just be aggressive. He makes good decisions, he knows how to pass well [and] he shoots the ball well. Being who you are and trusting what comes easy to you and he did that today."

Black showcased superb command of the offense, scoring 20 points with three assists. The 6-foot-7 guard was also efficient, making 6 of his 9 shots and he shot 7 of his 9 from the free throw line. The Magic point guard was also a pest on defense, accumulating four steals.

da Silva also made the most of having the ball in his hands, scoring 13 points with four assists and five rebounds. The 6-foot-8 forward was 3 for 5 on his 3-point attempts and he made all four of his free throws.

As a whole, Black, da Silva and Howard shot 17 of 30 from the field and made 9 of their 17 3s.

The chemistry between the Magic's summer league team reached a fever pitch with under two minutes to play when a missed 3 led to a big putback from Isaiah Todd. The reaction from Orlando's bench drew a technical foul.

"The chemistry was great," Chalmers said. "These guys are together. We've been preaching about doing it together and that's one. They did a great job. We got a technical at the end of the game because they were supporting and that's what we're about."

Orlando will look to continue its winning ways on Sunday when it faces the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Pavilion.

Related Orlando Magic stories

  • MAGIC WIN OPENER: The Orlando Magic trio of Anthony Black, Jett Howard, and Tristan da Silva combine for 55 points and 11 assists in a 106-79 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. CLICK HERE
  • MAGIC IN-SEASON TOURNEY: The New York Knicks are among the four teams the Orlando Magic will face in group play in the Emirates NBA Cup 2024. CLICK HERE
  • TRISTAN DA SILVA'S BASKETBALL SMARTS: Orlando Magic Summer League coach Lionel Chalmers says of Tristan da Silva: "He's very smart, he knows timing, he knows spacing, and he's willing to play with other guys, which is very important." CLICK HERE
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Nathaniel Marrero

NATHANIEL MARRERO

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