Magic Coach Jamahl Mosley Explains Key Lineup Decision Down Stretch vs. Clippers

Jamahl Mosley stuck to his guns, playing Markelle Fultz over Cole Anthony during crunch time in the Orlando Magic's win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 8, 2022

Magic Coach Jamahl Mosley Explains Key Lineup Decision Down Stretch vs. Clippers /

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic (6-20) is breathing a sigh of relief after snapping a nine-game losing streak Wednesday in an overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers (14-12).

During the game, it was a tale of two lineups. The starters, led by Markelle Fultz, struggled, while the bench unit, headed by Cole Anthony, brought the Magic back in the game.

The box score doesn't lie in this case. Fultz was in foul trouble throughout the game and didn't make a single field goal. Meanwhile, Anthony shined off the bench, scoring 13 points, committing zero turnovers and leading the team with a +21 on the floor.

However, with an opportunity to snap a three-week losing streak, head coach Jamahl Mosley stuck to his guns and played Fultz with the starters to end the game despite his struggles.

"I believe in all of these guys," Mosley said. "There is gonna be mistakes made in the basketball game. For these guys to grow and to develop chemistry for one another, they can't get yanked every time they try to make the right play and just happen to turn it over. He's been out for a long time, so his ability to get back on the floor, we believe in what he's done to get back on the floor."

Mosley stuck to his instincts and it paid off. Fultz and the starting unit outscored the Clippers 17-12 in overtime and grabbed its first win since Nov. 18. Despite the adversity the losing streak presented, the Magic stuck to its principles, doubled down, and it netted the team an impressive win against a championship contender.

It's a sign that something strong is building in Orlando, even if it doesn't come as frequent as it should.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.

Published Dec 8, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.