The Orlando Magic turned in a franchise-record shooting performance Thursday night, but it was veteran guard Javon Carter who received strong praise from head coach Jamahl Mosley after a 131-94 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Orlando drained 27 3-pointers in the win, setting a new franchise mark. Carter, playing in his second game since signing with the team after the trade deadline more than two weeks ago, produced his best performance in a Magic uniform. The 30-year-old finished with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench. He made 5 of 8 shots from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range and added one free throw, leading to a team-high plus-34 rating.
Carter joined Orlando after being waived by the Chicago Bulls in early February. The Magic immediately added the veteran guard, valuing his defensive intensity and experience.
Mosley said Carter's impact was immediate.
"He's about the right things. He's about winning, he's about the team, he's about playing the right way and you saw that as soon as he stepped on the court, the whole court got up, talking to the crowd, getting people in the right spots, making shots with confidence," Mosley said.
"But still, he's about all the right things. He's about winning, he's about toughness. He fits perfectly with what we do here with the Magic — hard-nosed defense, creating our own offense on the other end."
Paolo Banchero highlights Javon Carter's energy in Magic's historic win
Star forward Paolo Banchero, who led Orlando with 30 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, echoed that sentiment. Banchero shot 10 of 21 from the field, 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line in 32 minutes.
"Just his energy — his energy, his voice, obviously his play, he's active on defense, shot maker on offense, he tries to make the right play as a point guard," Banchero said. “I think he fits really well into what we do… He's a guy who has been in the league [for] She has a great attitude in a little while and is encouraging her to continue using her voice.''
Carter credited the team's historic shooting night to unselfish play.
“Just getting down the slope, being unselfish, getting the ball out of it, being aggressive, you know what I'm saying, just taking shots out there. [and] Not really thinking about it, ignoring them. And just playing together,'' Carter said.
He described the outing as the result of preparation and work.
"It was fun, I take pride in hard work, you know, hard work always pays off. That's a motto I live by. You know it was definitely a lot of fun to be out there with the guys, really, getting back into the swing of things."
With the win, Orlando improved to 29–25, and moved within a half game of the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers (30–25) in the Eastern Conference. The Magic continue their West Coast road trip against the Phoenix Suns (32-24) on Saturday at 5:00 PM ET on NBA TV. Carter's early impact adds another layer of depth as the playoff race heats up.
