Second-year Magic guard Anthony Black is looking to close the season on a high note, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Black, who is averaging 9.0 points and 3.1 assists in 62 games, has seen his minutes increase while he’s started fewer games. His overall efficiency has declined in his second season, though his counting numbers have improved.
“Good, bad … I would say mediocre,” Black said when asked to describe his second season. “I don’t think I was able to find enough consistency in just everything I was doing but I definitely think I got a lot better with the opportunities that I’ve had. It’s been good to get some reps.”
When the Magic have been at full strength, Black’s role has been limited, but that has rarely happened this season, as Orlando has dealt with injuries affecting several key players, including guard Jalen Suggs. Black is planning to take advantage of the opportunity for playing time down the stretch and is leaning on veteran teammates like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph and Gary Harris for advice.
“They know what it takes to do everything that I’m trying to do,” Black said. “It’s just good having a group of older dudes that have been in the league. Definitely thankful for them.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Magic are searching for good vibes as they prepare for the third game of a five-game road trip, Beede writes in a separate story. Orlando currently averages the fewest points in the league (104.3), so increasing that number has been a focal point for the team, which currently holds the eighth seed in the East. “Practice was great. There was a focus on creating offense, stepping into shots with confidence, execution,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Those small pieces are what we really, really honed in on.”
- Hawks guard Vit Krejci recently returned from an extended absence due to a lumbar fracture. He’s become a key piece of Atlanta’s rotation over the past year and is averaging 7.0 points in 41 games (15 starts) this season. As Caleb Johnson of 92.9 The Game (Twitter link) relays, Krejci said this week that he also was dealing with a sprained right wrist at the same time as his lumbar fracture, and that both injuries occurred on the same play. He made his return on March 10.
- The Wizards have played better as of late, with five wins in their past nine games, but all their recent moves have been made with an eye toward the future. With that in mind, Varun Shankar of The Washington Post takes a closer look at the strides that potential building blocks like AJ Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly (who is out now due to injury), and Kyshawn George have taken. As Shankar notes, Johnson played his most minutes in a Wizards jersey on Monday, registering six assists in a loss to Toronto.