Breaking Down Magic Starting 5 Before Sunday Matchup

The Magic are down their top scorer and best player. Who will start in his place?

Keenan Womack | Nov 3, 2024

Jan 29, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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The Orlando Magic were dealt a major blow in their Wednesday night matchup against the Chicago Bulls as forward Paolo Banchero suffered a torn right oblique that will sideline him for at least four weeks before he will be re-evaluated. Off to an extremely hot start, Banchero was just one assist shy of a 50-point triple-double against the Indiana Pacers on October 28 and had already amassed 31 points and seven boards before leaving the game against Chicago.

While this is undoubtedly a season-changing injury for Orlando, they still have some other pieces that can make life tough for the Mavericks when the two teams meet in Dallas on Sunday night. For one thing, they have an elite defensive backcourt comprised of Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. With Banchero's absence, Caldwell-Pope will likely shift over and play small forward while another great defender, second-year guard Anthony Black, will take over the shooting guard spot.

This means Orlando will have three top-notch perimeter defenders on the floor for much of the game. Another thing to note is that all three guards have size – both Suggs and Caldwell-Pope are 6-foot-5, while Black stands at 6-foot-7. This provides foils to the Mavericks' perimeter unit of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson.

In the frontcourt, the Magic have Franz Wagner, a multi-talented forward who was battling an illness last week before bouncing back for 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 1. Wagner is skilled in the face-up game, where he can use a solid dribble to get to the basket despite standing at 6-foot-10. He will have a size advantage should the Mavericks use P.J. Washington to defend him at the power-forward spot.

Center Wendell Carter Jr. is a game-time decision and could be scratched ahead of the game tonight against the Mavericks due to knee tendonitis. If so, in his place will be Moritz Wagner, brother of starting forward Franz Wagner. He's averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season in 17.2 minutes per game this year. Though he isn't the rebounder Carter Jr. is, he is a skilled big who can score inside and has shot 55.8% from the field this season.

Overall, the Mavericks should handle the banged-up Magic at home after Dallas' disappointing loss to Houston on Halloween night. Off of two days rest, the Mavs have regrouped and should be energetic in the matchup. They will still need to figure out a way to deal with the elite defensive backcourt that Orlando will put on the floor, but without their usual firepower, the Magic should be much more easily defended.

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Published Nov 3, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.