The Orlando Magic were forced to place a greater emphasis on team rebounding with their two starting big men out for their Wednesday matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Despite outrebounding the Washington 59-46, including 18-6 on offensive rebounds, the Magic fell to the Wizards, 112-106, at Capital One Arena for their 10th consecutive loss.
Wendell Carter Jr. (sore left hamstring) and Mo Bamba (right toe sprain) were out against the Wizards, leaving the Magic without their top-two rebounders.
Orlando entered Wednesday as a below-average rebounding team, ranking 18th in both defensive and offensive rebounding percentage.
But the Magic have rebounded at an above-average rate with at least either Bamba or Carter on the floor, according to Cleaning The Glass data. Because of the absences, coach Jamahl Mosley said it’d be important for the entire team — especially the guards — to step up on the boards.
“[The Wizards] play small ball, but they do have guys that fly in there from the perimeter,” Mosley said ahead of Wednesday’s game, “so it’s going to be so important we’re making sure we’re putting bodies on bodies and boxing out.”
Cole Anthony led the Magic (7-35) with 12 rebounds to go along with a team-high 19 points and eight assists. Franz Wagner finished with a career-high 10 assists, 14 points and six rebounds.
Six Magic players scored in double figures, but it wasn’t enough for them to overcome the 20-point deficit they faced early after shooting 7 of 28 in the first quarter.
The Wizards (22-20) shot 43 of 82 (52.4%) compared to the Magic’s 41 of 99 (41.4%). Washington was led by Kyle Kuzma’s 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
The absences of Carter and Bamba put Robin Lopez (16 points, 10 rebounds, including a team-high seven offensive rebounds) back into the starting lineup — joining Anthony, Gary Harris, Wagner and Chuma Okeke — after missing the previous six games because of the league’s health and safety protocols and return to competition reconditioning.
Lopez has been in and out of the rotation because of injuries and protocol-related absences — sometimes starting and playing 30-plus minutes depending on player availability.
“Robin’s been the ultimate pro,” Mosley said. “He always talks about being the relief pitcher. His ability to come in at any time and play whatever role is necessary — and whatever minutes are necessary — he’s willing to do.
“Not just on the court, but in the locker room, his voice has been fantastic. He’s been able to teach guys things that coaches picked up on, but that voice in the locker room is louder sometimes than ours. I really think he’s been fantastic.”
Carter has missed the last three games with his injury and remained a game-time decision for the three-game road trip. Wednesday was the first game Bamba missed with his injury, which he sustained in Sunday’s loss to the Wizards.
The Magic play the Charlotte Hornets on Friday before closing out the trip against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
