Magic Guard Cole Anthony Flirts With Triple-Double vs. Spurs; Best Game of Career?

Cole Anthony was one assist shy of a triple-double in the Orlando Magic's win against the San Antonio Spurs Friday night.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 24, 2022

Magic Guard Cole Anthony Flirts With Triple-Double vs. Spurs; Best Game of Career? /

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is riding high after a 20-point win against the San Antonio Spurs Friday night.

The team's win was earned in the late third and early fourth quarter, where the team went on a 19-3 run to ice the game. The point guard running the offense during that stretch was Cole Anthony, who finished the game one assist shy of a triple-double off the bench and a +22.

Anthony's 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists make up one of the best games of his career so far, even if he was shy of a goal. However, the third-year guard had a positive mindset on it after the game.

"I didn't wanna force it," Anthony said. "I probably could have gotten it, but when it happens, it's going to happen naturally."

Anthony's performance and selflessness earned the respect of his head coach Jamahl Mosley.

"I respect that he respects the game," Mosley said. "That he didn’t chase a stat. He just went after it. Understanding, and respecting the game, however we come away with a win, no matter what numbers are put up.”

Anthony's performance Friday night sits up there with some of the best games in his career. His 23 points mark the second-highest point total this season for Anthony, and his first double-double of the season. It's also just the sixth time in his career that Anthony has grabbed 10 or more rebounds.

After missing 17 games with an oblique strain, Anthony has been a huge plus in his return to the lineup. As a sparkplug off the bench, Anthony gives Orlando a true facilitator in the second unit. The Magic is 8-5 since Anthony's return and continue to trend in the right direction.

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Published Dec 24, 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.