Duck Facing Former Team Headlines Magic Gaming’s Second Week of Group Play in THE TURN
May 30, 2022
The Lead
Magic Gaming put themselves in a favorable position after splitting their first two games in THE TURN, and now they’ll have a chance to earn a trip to Indianapolis with a strong showing in the second leg of group play, which starts Tuesday against Christopher “Duck” Charles’ former team, Knicks Gaming.
Recapping Last Week
Magic Gaming secured a victory over NetsGC behind suffocating defense, balanced scoring, and a tremendous effort on the glass. Justin “Snubby” Stemerman led four Orlando players in double figures in scoring with 22 points, while Duck, playing his first 5v5 game with the Magic, finished with 12 points and 11 assists. The next night against the two-time defending champs, Wizards District Gaming, the Magic rallied back from a double-digit halftime deficit before coming up short. They cut the deficit to just one a few times, but turnovers and an inability to deny Ryan “Dayfri” Conger from scoring at the basket down the stretch denied Orlando from pulling off the upset.
Tuesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. vs. Knicks Gaming
Justin “Kapp” Kaplan, Orlando’s 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA 2K League Draft, played against his former squad this past Thursday in Wizards District Gaming’s narrow victory over Magic Gaming. Now, it will be Duck’s turn to square off against his ex-club. After losing their first two group play games, New York bounced back with a thrilling victory over Hawks Talon GC to close out the week. Ludlow “Glo” Samuels slammed home a go-ahead dunk with 5.3 seconds left off a dish from Anthony “Ant SZN” Costanzo, acquired by the Knicks in the four-team blockbuster trade that brought Duck to Orlando.
Thursday, June 2 at 8:30 p.m. vs. Hawks Talon GC
One of the best players in the first week of THE TURN was Caesar “Ceez” Martinez, selected 11th overall by Atlanta in the 2021 draft. The dynamic point guard recorded 31 points and eight assists in the Hawks’ win over NetsGC, 24 and 13 in their loss to Heat Check Gaming, and 27 and five in their heartbreaking defeat to Knicks Gaming. The matchup at center will be one to keep an eye on in this contest, as Orlando’s Blaine “BigReign” Wilson and Atlanta’s Juan “HotShotx305” Gonzalez are two of the better rebounders in the league.
Friday, June 3 at 8 p.m. vs. Heat Check Gaming
Some of Orlando’s most exciting games over the years of the NBA 2K League have come against their Sunshine State rivals. One of the stars the last time they played, which was in the final week of last year’s regular season, was Josue Acosta-Gomez, then the Magic’s small forward. Not only did he score in double figures in each of those two games of the series, but he also played stifling defense. For the first time since the Heat drafted him in the second round in the 2022 draft, he will play against his former team. The Seaside, California native had a strong first week of THE TURN, scoring 23 points in Miami’s win over Atlanta and 18 in their victory over New York.
Quote of the Week
“Just knowing Duck the limited time I have here, especially in person with all the interaction we’ve had, he’s not a person who gets out of character very often. So, I’m really not concerned with that (staying poised playing against his former team). It’s really just about making sure he’s finding his spots and being active with the same things we do every day, which is calling plays, making sure other people are getting to their spots, and facilitating at a high level. I’m really not to concerned about him getting in his own head against his former team.” – Magic Gaming General Manager and Head Coach Jonah Edwards
About THE TURN
THE TURN features two weeks of remote group play to determine the four teams from each six‑squad group that will advance to the round‑of‑16 in-person bracket play at the NBA 2K League Studio in Indianapolis from Wednesday, June 8 – Saturday, June 11. Each team will play five games in group play, competing against each squad in its group once.
Where to Watch
Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Games will also be available on Dash Radio, eGG Network in Southeast Asia, Loco in India, and Sport1 in Europe.