# results[].title
Magic Gaming’s 2024 NBA 2K League Season Comes to an End with Loss to Gen.G

# results[].description
ORLANDO – The 2024 NBA 2K League season was broken up into two halves that each put different game modes on display.

The first part of the season featured 3v3 action, while the second leg of the campaign was 5v5 play.

In both modes, Magic Gaming delivered consistent performances. In 3v3, that equated to reaching the grand finals in all three of the league’s tournaments, including playoffs, while bringing home one banner title.

Unfortunately, in 5v5, while Orlando was consistently in games late in the fourth quarter, it was unable to close out a number of contests down the stretch.

That was once again the case for Magic Gaming on Tuesday night as their season came to an end with a 73-57 loss to the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai in THE TICKET.

“It was a complete implosion, particularly in our room,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “Credit to them for holding strong. The more motivated and composed team won today. The team that wanted to win more, won, which is just an unfortunate feeling. The second adversity hit, we (were unable to respond). That’s why the result was what it was.”

Entering the final frame, it appeared that the do-or-die contest would come down to the wire. Orlando possessed a two-point lead and star point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter was in the process of delivering a masterful performance with a game-high 29 points.

But the fourth quarter was all Gen. G, as it outscored Orlando by 16 in the final period of play.

“There is way too much talent in our room to go out the way we did today,” said Edwards. “And throughout 5v5s. It’s hard to feel good about the season. It’s hard to feel good right now when I feel that we have a top-three talented (group) in our conference … A lot of reflection has to happen internally here.”

Gen.G shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson once again got the best of his former club, firing off a team-high 22 points. Tigers point guard Jaiden “gallow” Frank notched 20 points to go along with a contest-best 14 assists.

Unguardable finished with a game-high 31 points. Center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano was the only other Orlando player to hit double figures, notching 10 points and 12 rebounds.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming’s 2024 NBA 2K League Season Comes to an End with Loss to Gen.G

# results[].content
ORLANDO – The 2024 NBA 2K League season was broken up into two halves that each put different game modes on display.

The first part of the season featured 3v3 action, while the second leg of the campaign was 5v5 play.

In both modes, Magic Gaming delivered consistent performances. In 3v3, that equated to reaching the grand finals in all three of the league’s tournaments, including playoffs, while bringing home one banner title.

Unfortunately, in 5v5, while Orlando was consistently in games late in the fourth quarter, it was unable to close out a number of contests down the stretch.

That was once again the case for Magic Gaming on Tuesday night as their season came to an end with a 73-57 loss to the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai in THE TICKET.

“It was a complete implosion, particularly in our room,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “Credit to them for holding strong. The more motivated and composed team won today. The team that wanted to win more, won, which is just an unfortunate feeling. The second adversity hit, we (were unable to respond). That’s why the result was what it was.”

Entering the final frame, it appeared that the do-or-die contest would come down to the wire. Orlando possessed a two-point lead and star point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter was in the process of delivering a masterful performance with a game-high 29 points.

But the fourth quarter was all Gen. G, as it outscored Orlando by 16 in the final period of play.

“There is way too much talent in our room to go out the way we did today,” said Edwards. “And throughout 5v5s. It’s hard to feel good about the season. It’s hard to feel good right now when I feel that we have a top-three talented (group) in our conference … A lot of reflection has to happen internally here.”

Gen.G shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson once again got the best of his former club, firing off a team-high 22 points. Tigers point guard Jaiden “gallow” Frank notched 20 points to go along with a contest-best 14 assists.

Unguardable finished with a game-high 31 points. Center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano was the only other Orlando player to hit double figures, notching 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The post Magic Gaming’s 2024 NBA 2K League Season Comes to an End with Loss to Gen.G appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Eliminated From TURN with Quarterfinals Series Loss to Heat Check Gaming

# results[].description
ORLANDO - Magic Gaming has made sizeable progress since 5v5 began in early May. Doubling their win total in the TURN from the TIPOFF is proof of that. But clearly, after being eliminated by Heat Check Gaming in the quarterfinals of TURN bracket play, there’s still work to be done as they now turn their attention to the TICKET.

Game 1: Heat Check Gaming 90, Magic Gaming 70

Magic Gaming has gotten off to excellent starts almost every game this season in 5v5. But not always have they been able to maintain that early momentum.

Game 1 of their TURN quarterfinals series was the latest example of that. Orlando led by nine late in the first quarter before Miami and its high-octane offense took over in its 90-70 victory.

“We did a really poor job I think managing the clock,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “It created some tough situations for us defensively. A lot of scramble plays. We had complete control. We were doing a good job trying to deny what they were doing. Their popping center, (Kennedy) “sawc” (Tauala), was really creating issues at the top of the key.”

KyJuan “HoodieKy” Johnson racked up 35 points and 10 assists and sawc, an MVP finalist, posted 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Heat, who haven’t lost since TIPOFF bracket play. Miami hit 14 3-pointers and forced Orlando into 10 turnovers.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 22 points and nine assists, while Justin “Snubby” Stemerman scored 18 points and Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano had 12 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

The Heat outscored the Magic in each of the last three quarters – by six in the second, 10 in the third and seven in the fourth. It was the first time this season a Magic opponent has reached 90 points.

Game 2: Heat Check Gaming 67, Magic Gaming 64

Not many NBA 2K League teams this year, if any, have played in more games that have come down to the final seconds than Magic Gaming. A few they’ve won – like the one on the final day of TURN group play against 76ers GC that clinched their spot in bracket play – and others they’ve lost. Perhaps the most heartbreaking of those losses came Wednesday in Game 2 of their quarterfinal series against Heat Check Gaming.

Leading by three with less than two minutes remaining, Orlando was unable to execute down the stretch and make timely shots in a 67-64 loss that eliminated them from the TURN.

After an unguardable 3-pointer with 2:11 left in the fourth gave the Magic that three-point edge, the Heat reclaimed control with a few stifling defensive possessions and clutch free throws.

Orlando had a couple chances to tie the game in the final seconds, but 3-point attempts by Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman and Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares didn’t go down.

“We got enough stops to win,” Edwards said. “At the end of the day, we had a lot of opportunities down the stretch to close the game offensively to pull away. Just weren’t able to do so. We are going to make a couple changes to how we are playing. I think we are in a position now where we kind of have to. But it’s clear that we are close. That’s what’s frustrating.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 21 points and 10 assists, while FantaSZN scored 16 points. The Magic shot it well from beyond the arc, going 13-of-21.

All five Heat players scored in double figures, including Marta’ “THEREALTAY614” Edwards, sawc and Deondrick “DTrick” Leon, who each tallied 15 points. Miami once again forced Orlando into 10 turnovers.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will be back in action next week in the TICKET, the third and final in-season tournament. The TICKET is comprised of the eight teams from the Eastern Conference and seven teams from the Western Conference that did not automatically qualify for the playoffs. The winning teams from each conference bracket in the TICKET will earn the final spots in the postseason.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Eliminated From TURN with Quarterfinals Series Loss to Heat Check Gaming

# results[].content
ORLANDO – Magic Gaming has made sizeable progress since 5v5 began in early May. Doubling their win total in the TURN from the TIPOFF is proof of that. But clearly, after being eliminated by Heat Check Gaming in the quarterfinals of TURN bracket play, there’s still work to be done as they now turn their attention to the TICKET.

Game 1: Heat Check Gaming 90, Magic Gaming 70

Magic Gaming has gotten off to excellent starts almost every game this season in 5v5. But not always have they been able to maintain that early momentum.

Game 1 of their TURN quarterfinals series was the latest example of that. Orlando led by nine late in the first quarter before Miami and its high-octane offense took over in its 90-70 victory.

“We did a really poor job I think managing the clock,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “It created some tough situations for us defensively. A lot of scramble plays. We had complete control. We were doing a good job trying to deny what they were doing. Their popping center, (Kennedy) “sawc” (Tauala), was really creating issues at the top of the key.”

KyJuan “HoodieKy” Johnson racked up 35 points and 10 assists and sawc, an MVP finalist, posted 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Heat, who haven’t lost since TIPOFF bracket play. Miami hit 14 3-pointers and forced Orlando into 10 turnovers.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 22 points and nine assists, while Justin “Snubby” Stemerman scored 18 points and Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano had 12 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

The Heat outscored the Magic in each of the last three quarters – by six in the second, 10 in the third and seven in the fourth. It was the first time this season a Magic opponent has reached 90 points.

Game 2: Heat Check Gaming 67, Magic Gaming 64

Not many NBA 2K League teams this year, if any, have played in more games that have come down to the final seconds than Magic Gaming. A few they’ve won – like the one on the final day of TURN group play against 76ers GC that clinched their spot in bracket play – and others they’ve lost. Perhaps the most heartbreaking of those losses came Wednesday in Game 2 of their quarterfinal series against Heat Check Gaming.

Leading by three with less than two minutes remaining, Orlando was unable to execute down the stretch and make timely shots in a 67-64 loss that eliminated them from the TURN.

After an unguardable 3-pointer with 2:11 left in the fourth gave the Magic that three-point edge, the Heat reclaimed control with a few stifling defensive possessions and clutch free throws.

Orlando had a couple chances to tie the game in the final seconds, but 3-point attempts by Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman and Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares didn’t go down.

“We got enough stops to win,” Edwards said. “At the end of the day, we had a lot of opportunities down the stretch to close the game offensively to pull away. Just weren’t able to do so. We are going to make a couple changes to how we are playing. I think we are in a position now where we kind of have to. But it’s clear that we are close. That’s what’s frustrating.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 21 points and 10 assists, while FantaSZN scored 16 points. The Magic shot it well from beyond the arc, going 13-of-21.

All five Heat players scored in double figures, including Marta’ “THEREALTAY614” Edwards, sawc and Deondrick “DTrick” Leon, who each tallied 15 points. Miami once again forced Orlando into 10 turnovers.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will be back in action next week in the TICKET, the third and final in-season tournament. The TICKET is comprised of the eight teams from the Eastern Conference and seven teams from the Western Conference that did not automatically qualify for the playoffs. The winning teams from each conference bracket in the TICKET will earn the final spots in the postseason.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Eliminated From TURN with Quarterfinals Series Loss to Heat Check Gaming appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Advances to TURN Bracket Play With Thrilling Comeback Win Over 76ers GC

# results[].description
ORLANDO - You hear it all the time in sports: Experience matters.

Even though that’s a cliché saying, it’s true, and it often determines how far a team goes. In the case of Magic Gaming, what they are experienced with is playing in close games down the stretch. They’ve won some and they’ve lost them. But you had to figure, all those times in those moments throughout both the TIPOFF and TURN would help them in the biggest of games.

And the biggest game to date came Friday, against 76ers GC with a spot in TURN bracket play on the line. Down nearly the entire second half, including by 13 late in the third quarter, Magic Gaming stormed back to knock out Philadelphia with a 65-62 victory and earn a trip to Washington, D.C. next week.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter, never one to back down from the pressure, buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 21.7 seconds left. After some intentional fouling, Ethan “Radiant” White, re-acquired by the Sixers early last week, missed a heavily contested 3-pointer in an attempt to tie it right before the buzzer.

“I knew they weren’t trying to give up paint points in that moment – it was a tie game,” unguardable said of the go-ahead shot. “Really, I haven’t had the best season throughout fives, so it was more like a bet on myself. I knew I would get open. That wasn’t really the problem. It was more so hitting the shot. (I) shot the ball. My teammates trusted me. And I hit the shot."

Orlando initially went ahead with 1:46 left off an Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman triple. Samuel “Gradient” Salyers, formerly a No. 2 overall draft pick in the 2KL, and Radiant each had dunks on Philly’s next two possessions. Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano followed that up with a dunk of his own to tie it with 48 seconds remaining.

What led to unguardable’s clutch trey was a steal by defensive ace Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares.

“It was more of a composure thing,” Jboolin said of his team’s mindset going into the fourth. “We were staying in the game with them not playing our best ball. We were just telling each other just calm down, take a breath…If we made the right decisions down the stretch, we knew we would come back and win.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 27 points and 10 assists, while LowkeyGodlike had 17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block.

Damon “DJ” Jones led the Sixers with 24 points on perfect 12-of-12 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, while Andre “Dre” Marshall scored 19 points. Philly only made six of its 22 3-point attempts.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will play EITHER Heat Check Gaming or Cavs Legion GC next week in the first round of TURN bracket play. A win in that game would also significantly increase their chances of securing a playoff spot without having to participate in the TICKET.

“We promised each other that if we are going to be this talented, at least not do a disservice to ourselves. Just all buy in at the same time and keep taking those steps forward to try to improve,” Jboolin said about the team’s continued progress this season in 5v5.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Advances to TURN Bracket Play With Thrilling Comeback Win Over 76ers GC

# results[].content
ORLANDO – You hear it all the time in sports: Experience matters.

Even though that’s a cliché saying, it’s true, and it often determines how far a team goes. In the case of Magic Gaming, what they are experienced with is playing in close games down the stretch. They’ve won some and they’ve lost them. But you had to figure, all those times in those moments throughout both the TIPOFF and TURN would help them in the biggest of games.

And the biggest game to date came Friday, against 76ers GC with a spot in TURN bracket play on the line. Down nearly the entire second half, including by 13 late in the third quarter, Magic Gaming stormed back to knock out Philadelphia with a 65-62 victory and earn a trip to Washington, D.C. next week.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter, never one to back down from the pressure, buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 21.7 seconds left. After some intentional fouling, Ethan “Radiant” White, re-acquired by the Sixers early last week, missed a heavily contested 3-pointer in an attempt to tie it right before the buzzer.

“I knew they weren’t trying to give up paint points in that moment – it was a tie game,” unguardable said of the go-ahead shot. “Really, I haven’t had the best season throughout fives, so it was more like a bet on myself. I knew I would get open. That wasn’t really the problem. It was more so hitting the shot. (I) shot the ball. My teammates trusted me. And I hit the shot.”

Orlando initially went ahead with 1:46 left off an Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman triple. Samuel “Gradient” Salyers, formerly a No. 2 overall draft pick in the 2KL, and Radiant each had dunks on Philly’s next two possessions. Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano followed that up with a dunk of his own to tie it with 48 seconds remaining.

What led to unguardable’s clutch trey was a steal by defensive ace Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares.

“It was more of a composure thing,” Jboolin said of his team’s mindset going into the fourth. “We were staying in the game with them not playing our best ball. We were just telling each other just calm down, take a breath…If we made the right decisions down the stretch, we knew we would come back and win.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 27 points and 10 assists, while LowkeyGodlike had 17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block.

Damon “DJ” Jones led the Sixers with 24 points on perfect 12-of-12 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, while Andre “Dre” Marshall scored 19 points. Philly only made six of its 22 3-point attempts.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will play EITHER Heat Check Gaming or Cavs Legion GC next week in the first round of TURN bracket play. A win in that game would also significantly increase their chances of securing a playoff spot without having to participate in the TICKET.

“We promised each other that if we are going to be this talented, at least not do a disservice to ourselves. Just all buy in at the same time and keep taking those steps forward to try to improve,” Jboolin said about the team’s continued progress this season in 5v5.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Advances to TURN Bracket Play With Thrilling Comeback Win Over 76ers GC appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Unable to Overcome Slow Start Against Gen.G

# results[].description
ORLANDO – Listen in to any NBA pregame press conference and you’ll hear coaches and players preach the importance of getting off to strong starts.

The same principle holds true on the virtual hardwood.

Despite several runs throughout the contest to close the gap with the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Magic Gaming was unable to overcome a slow start and a double-digit first-quarter deficit in an 84-70 loss on Wednesday night in TURN 5v5 group play action.

“That’s a team playing with nothing to lose, and those are always dangerous games,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “It came down to a lot of what we talked about going into the game. For whatever reason, we had low energy coming off a win (earlier in the night against Nets GC). It’s a tough thing to do to play a back-to-back in this league. So, we just came out super, super flat.”

A familiar face played a huge role in helping Gen.G get off to a hot start. Shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson came out swinging in his first contest against his former squad since he was sent to the Tigers as part of a four-team trade that brought shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman to Orlando.

ReturnOfDJ erupted for 25 of his game-high 46 points prior to the break and was 7-for-8 from 3-point range at the half.

“We knew this was his super bowl and their super bowl,” said Edwards. “We were their big brother all year in 3v3, and so this was their moment. And they got it. I imagine this is not the last time we’re going to see Gen.G this season.”

Orlando looked primed for a comeback after opening the third quarter on an 11-4 run that pulled Magic Gaming within two. However, Gen.G outscored Orlando 16-9 to close the period and keep Magic Gaming at a distance.

Center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano notched 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, while point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter added 16 points and 11 assists for Orlando. FantaSZN poured in 14 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Friday when they face 76ers GC at 7 p.m. ET. After their loss to Gen.G, Orlando will need a win over Philadelphia along with some additional help in order to qualify for the tournament's bracket play.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Unable to Overcome Slow Start Against Gen.G

# results[].content
ORLANDO – Listen in to any NBA pregame press conference and you’ll hear coaches and players preach the importance of getting off to strong starts.

The same principle holds true on the virtual hardwood.

Despite several runs throughout the contest to close the gap with the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Magic Gaming was unable to overcome a slow start and a double-digit first-quarter deficit in an 84-70 loss on Wednesday night in TURN 5v5 group play action.

“That’s a team playing with nothing to lose, and those are always dangerous games,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “It came down to a lot of what we talked about going into the game. For whatever reason, we had low energy coming off a win (earlier in the night against Nets GC). It’s a tough thing to do to play a back-to-back in this league. So, we just came out super, super flat.”

A familiar face played a huge role in helping Gen.G get off to a hot start. Shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson came out swinging in his first contest against his former squad since he was sent to the Tigers as part of a four-team trade that brought shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman to Orlando.

ReturnOfDJ erupted for 25 of his game-high 46 points prior to the break and was 7-for-8 from 3-point range at the half.

“We knew this was his super bowl and their super bowl,” said Edwards. “We were their big brother all year in 3v3, and so this was their moment. And they got it. I imagine this is not the last time we’re going to see Gen.G this season.”

Orlando looked primed for a comeback after opening the third quarter on an 11-4 run that pulled Magic Gaming within two. However, Gen.G outscored Orlando 16-9 to close the period and keep Magic Gaming at a distance.

Center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano notched 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, while point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter added 16 points and 11 assists for Orlando. FantaSZN poured in 14 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Friday when they face 76ers GC at 7 p.m. ET. After their loss to Gen.G, Orlando will need a win over Philadelphia along with some additional help in order to qualify for the tournament’s bracket play.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Unable to Overcome Slow Start Against Gen.G appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Rolls Past NetsGC in First Game of Wednesday’s Doubleheader

# results[].description
ORLANDO - If you have followed the NBA 2K League over the years, you know just how critical it is for a team’s backcourt in 5v5 action to flourish offensively. When both guards are greening their open outside shots and making sharp passes to teammates for easy looks at the basket and in the corners, that usually means it’s going to be a long night for the opponent.

Wednesday’s TURN group play contest between Magic Gaming and NetsGC was a great example of that, as one backcourt thoroughly outplayed the other.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter posted 26 points and 11 assists and Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman, acquired by Orlando in a blockbuster trade from Dallas just a week ago, recorded 24 points and five assists to lead the Magic to a 71-62 victory.
“I thought Josh did a nice job of getting things going, especially despite the two early misses to start the game,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “Really offensively, we had everything we wanted, especially in the first three quarters. We rode that momentum. Ran a lot of the same sets throughout the game and they had a hard time stopping it.”
Brooklyn’s pair of guards, on the other hand, struggled mightily. Tariq “Greens” Reed and former Magic Gaming player Brendan “Reizey” Hill each scored just eight points on a combined 6-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-9 from 3-point range.

Orlando, which has now won three straight, never trailed and led by as many as 16 early in the fourth quarter.

Earlier this season, the Magic had problems preserving momentum in the early moments of the final frame. That hasn’t been the case lately, however. Last week against both Raptors Uprising GC and Hawks Talon GC, and then again on Wednesday against the Nets, Orlando has been nearly flawless in that stretch of time. The Magic were up only five early in the fourth before going on an 11-0 run to reclaim full control.
“We did a good job of managing the clock and making sure even if we weren’t hitting we were still trying to get good possessions,” Edwards said. “It’s clear it’s been an emphasis at practice for us.”
Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano tallied 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals for the winners, who improved to 3-1 in TURN group play, while Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, both brilliant defensively, combined for six points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Brooklyn was led by center Dayne “OneWildWalnut” Downey, who posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Shun “Streetz” Brown finished with 21 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming had little time to rest and prepare for its next opponent. Later on Wednesday night, they square off against the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Rolls Past NetsGC in First Game of Wednesday’s Doubleheader

# results[].content
ORLANDO – If you have followed the NBA 2K League over the years, you know just how critical it is for a team’s backcourt in 5v5 action to flourish offensively. When both guards are greening their open outside shots and making sharp passes to teammates for easy looks at the basket and in the corners, that usually means it’s going to be a long night for the opponent.

Wednesday’s TURN group play contest between Magic Gaming and NetsGC was a great example of that, as one backcourt thoroughly outplayed the other.

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter posted 26 points and 11 assists and Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman, acquired by Orlando in a blockbuster trade from Dallas just a week ago, recorded 24 points and five assists to lead the Magic to a 71-62 victory.

“I thought Josh did a nice job of getting things going, especially despite the two early misses to start the game,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “Really offensively, we had everything we wanted, especially in the first three quarters. We rode that momentum. Ran a lot of the same sets throughout the game and they had a hard time stopping it.”

Brooklyn’s pair of guards, on the other hand, struggled mightily. Tariq “Greens” Reed and former Magic Gaming player Brendan “Reizey” Hill each scored just eight points on a combined 6-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-9 from 3-point range.

Orlando, which has now won three straight, never trailed and led by as many as 16 early in the fourth quarter.

Earlier this season, the Magic had problems preserving momentum in the early moments of the final frame. That hasn’t been the case lately, however. Last week against both Raptors Uprising GC and Hawks Talon GC, and then again on Wednesday against the Nets, Orlando has been nearly flawless in that stretch of time. The Magic were up only five early in the fourth before going on an 11-0 run to reclaim full control.

“We did a good job of managing the clock and making sure even if we weren’t hitting we were still trying to get good possessions,” Edwards said. “It’s clear it’s been an emphasis at practice for us.”

Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano tallied 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals for the winners, who improved to 3-1 in TURN group play, while Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, both brilliant defensively, combined for six points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Brooklyn was led by center Dayne “OneWildWalnut” Downey, who posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Shun “Streetz” Brown finished with 21 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming had little time to rest and prepare for its next opponent. Later on Wednesday night, they square off against the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Rolls Past NetsGC in First Game of Wednesday’s Doubleheader appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Dominates Hawks Talon GC in In-Person TURN Matchup at leAD Lake Nona

# results[].description
It was a special day at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator for Magic Gaming’s second home in-person game of the season.

There was plenty of pregame entertainment, a lively atmosphere, and Orlando put the cherry on top by delivering a phenomenal performance to the Magic Gaming faithful.

Four Orlando players scored in double figures as Magic Gaming rolled to a 96-57 victory over Hawks Talon GC on Saturday afternoon in NBA 2K League 5v5 TURN group play action.

“It was huge for us to have a victory like this,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We were on the cusp of it a couple of times this (5v5) season, and just haven’t hit our open shots and knocked down shots in big moments. In the second half, everything just clicked.”

At first, it looked like this game would be over early. The crowd at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator erupted with applause as center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano closed out the first quarter with an emphatic fastbreak slam to give Magic Gaming a 10-point lead.

However, Hawks Talon GC would not go down quietly. Atlanta shooting guard MarkDavid “MDS” Smith scored 12 of high contest-best 19 first-half points in the second quarter to help his squad take a one-point lead into halftime.

But after the break, it was all Magic Gaming. Orlando opened the third quarter on a 13-0 run and never looked back as it outscored Atlanta by 40 points in the second half.

“On offense, we were pretty much flawless,” said Magic small forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, who finished with 21 points. “We were making no mistakes.”

Shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman, who was traded to Orlando earlier in the week, led all scorers with 32 points, while going a scorching 8-for-13 from 3-point range.

Point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter added 20 points and 11 assists, power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares tallied 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, and LowkeyGodlike notched six points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists.

“The gravity that (LowkeyGodlike) has on the court … is like a black hole,” said FantaSZN of the 3v3 MVP finalist. “He just pulls people towards him and everything else just opens up … Everybody is just so capable … I love this team, honestly.”

The victory was a huge one for Orlando, which needs to make bracket play of THE TURN to earn a 5v5 playoff berth. It was also special because it was able to earn the triumph on its home floor in front of fans, family, and friends at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator.

“We haven’t won at home,” said Edwards. “To finally get our first win at home just feels really good. There’s a lot of work that goes into this from a lot of people on the Magic Gaming and Orlando Magic staff. It means a lot to see it come to fruition with a victory. It means a lot to me.”

<strong>Up Next:</strong> Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Wednesday when they take on Nets GC at 6 p.m. ET. Orlando is currently 2-1 in the tournament and would likely advance to bracket play with a strong showing next week.

<strong>HOW TO WATCH:</strong> Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Dominates Hawks Talon GC in In-Person TURN Matchup at leAD Lake Nona

# results[].content
It was a special day at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator for Magic Gaming’s second home in-person game of the season.

There was plenty of pregame entertainment, a lively atmosphere, and Orlando put the cherry on top by delivering a phenomenal performance to the Magic Gaming faithful.

Four Orlando players scored in double figures as Magic Gaming rolled to a 96-57 victory over Hawks Talon GC on Saturday afternoon in NBA 2K League 5v5 TURN group play action.

“It was huge for us to have a victory like this,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We were on the cusp of it a couple of times this (5v5) season, and just haven’t hit our open shots and knocked down shots in big moments. In the second half, everything just clicked.”

At first, it looked like this game would be over early. The crowd at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator erupted with applause as center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano closed out the first quarter with an emphatic fastbreak slam to give Magic Gaming a 10-point lead.

However, Hawks Talon GC would not go down quietly. Atlanta shooting guard MarkDavid “MDS” Smith scored 12 of high contest-best 19 first-half points in the second quarter to help his squad take a one-point lead into halftime.

But after the break, it was all Magic Gaming. Orlando opened the third quarter on a 13-0 run and never looked back as it outscored Atlanta by 40 points in the second half.

“On offense, we were pretty much flawless,” said Magic small forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, who finished with 21 points. “We were making no mistakes.”

Shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman, who was traded to Orlando earlier in the week, led all scorers with 32 points, while going a scorching 8-for-13 from 3-point range.

Point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter added 20 points and 11 assists, power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares tallied 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, and LowkeyGodlike notched six points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists.

“The gravity that (LowkeyGodlike) has on the court … is like a black hole,” said FantaSZN of the 3v3 MVP finalist. “He just pulls people towards him and everything else just opens up … Everybody is just so capable … I love this team, honestly.”

The victory was a huge one for Orlando, which needs to make bracket play of THE TURN to earn a 5v5 playoff berth. It was also special because it was able to earn the triumph on its home floor in front of fans, family, and friends at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator.

“We haven’t won at home,” said Edwards. “To finally get our first win at home just feels really good. There’s a lot of work that goes into this from a lot of people on the Magic Gaming and Orlando Magic staff. It means a lot to see it come to fruition with a victory. It means a lot to me.”

Up Next: Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Wednesday when they take on Nets GC at 6 p.m. ET. Orlando is currently 2-1 in the tournament and would likely advance to bracket play with a strong showing next week.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Dominates Hawks Talon GC in In-Person TURN Matchup at leAD Lake Nona appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Takes Down Raptors Uprising GC in Thriller

# results[].description
ORLANDO - Losing in heartbreaking fashion, like Magic Gaming experienced on Wednesday against Celtics Crossover Gaming, is obviously maddening. But there’s a silver lining to those frustrating defeats because sometimes they become a learning tool.

That was the case Thursday with Orlando back in action in TURN group play against Raptors Uprising GC. Up three in the final seconds, just like they were against Boston, the Magic executed exactly how they planned to, which led to them securing a 62-60 victory.

Prior to Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman splitting a pair at the free throw line with 3.9 seconds left, Magic Gaming intentionally fouled Antoine “antoinelove” Times to deny Toronto from getting a 3-point shot off. Then, on the very possession, the Magic caused a miss at the buzzer by getting a hand up on former Orlando player Jarvis “Jarvis” Thompson’s jumper.

“We were more than clear with how we were going to guard the inbound in those last seconds because realistically if we did that yesterday we’d be 2-0 right now,” said FantaSZN, acquired just a few days ago by Orlando from Dallas in a blockbuster trade. “It helped big time (being in the same situation the previous game).”

A game reset because of a system crash early in the third quarter got the Magic out of rhythm a bit. But as the fourth quarter wore on, and their defense picked up, momentum would shift back in their favor.

Still, they would need some heroic play down the stretch to avoid another heartbreaking defeat. The biggest bucket of the night was made by Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano when he slammed home a go-ahead dunk with 35 seconds remaining.

That was followed by a stifling defensive possession, which culminated with Simptoms missing a contested 3-pointer just before the shot clock was about to expire.

“I just think altogether we had a great sense of what we wanted to do,” forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman said. “Our game plan on defense, forcing them into late shot clock situations, and we were able to zone the court well. At the end of the day, we got the stops we needed to win.”

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 22 points and 11 assists, while LowkeyGodlike and Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares each scored 11. LowkeyGodlike also gobbled up 14 rebounds.

Playing in his second game with the Magic, FantaSZN finished with nine points. The San Francisco native was ecstatic when he learned he’d be joining his new teammates in Orlando. He feels this is a group that can make some serious noise the rest of the TURN and beyond.

“From a league aspect, I was very happy to come play with this group of guys,” he said. “I’ve never been surrounded by so much talent in my life. I’m super grateful to be here…It was good feelings, good emotions.”

The Raptors, who made the finals in the TIPOFF, were led Thursday by antoinelove, who finished with 20 points and 12 assists. Center Waseem “BallLikeSeem” Talbert posted 14 points and 17 rebounds.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will host Hawks Talon GC for a live in-person TURN group play contest on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator. The game is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. Fans interested in coming to the event can register HERE.

There will be an open play period prior to the game from 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. where those attending can play NBA 2K24, NBA JAM and more.

“That will be definitely a treat,” Snubby said. “It will be my first in-person game since I last played in the 2K League two years ago. Even though it’s not on stage yet, it’s still an in-person environment against a good team. They’re going to come in and try to fight. I have a lot of friends on that team so it will be good banter.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Takes Down Raptors Uprising GC in Thriller

# results[].content
ORLANDO – Losing in heartbreaking fashion, like Magic Gaming experienced on Wednesday against Celtics Crossover Gaming, is obviously maddening. But there’s a silver lining to those frustrating defeats because sometimes they become a learning tool.

That was the case Thursday with Orlando back in action in TURN group play against Raptors Uprising GC. Up three in the final seconds, just like they were against Boston, the Magic executed exactly how they planned to, which led to them securing a 62-60 victory.

Prior to Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman splitting a pair at the free throw line with 3.9 seconds left, Magic Gaming intentionally fouled Antoine “antoinelove” Times to deny Toronto from getting a 3-point shot off. Then, on the very possession, the Magic caused a miss at the buzzer by getting a hand up on former Orlando player Jarvis “Jarvis” Thompson’s jumper.

“We were more than clear with how we were going to guard the inbound in those last seconds because realistically if we did that yesterday we’d be 2-0 right now,” said FantaSZN, acquired just a few days ago by Orlando from Dallas in a blockbuster trade. “It helped big time (being in the same situation the previous game).”

A game reset because of a system crash early in the third quarter got the Magic out of rhythm a bit. But as the fourth quarter wore on, and their defense picked up, momentum would shift back in their favor.

Still, they would need some heroic play down the stretch to avoid another heartbreaking defeat. The biggest bucket of the night was made by Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano when he slammed home a go-ahead dunk with 35 seconds remaining.

That was followed by a stifling defensive possession, which culminated with Simptoms missing a contested 3-pointer just before the shot clock was about to expire.

“I just think altogether we had a great sense of what we wanted to do,” forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman said. “Our game plan on defense, forcing them into late shot clock situations, and we were able to zone the court well. At the end of the day, we got the stops we needed to win.”

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 22 points and 11 assists, while LowkeyGodlike and Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares each scored 11. LowkeyGodlike also gobbled up 14 rebounds.

Playing in his second game with the Magic, FantaSZN finished with nine points. The San Francisco native was ecstatic when he learned he’d be joining his new teammates in Orlando. He feels this is a group that can make some serious noise the rest of the TURN and beyond.

“From a league aspect, I was very happy to come play with this group of guys,” he said. “I’ve never been surrounded by so much talent in my life. I’m super grateful to be here…It was good feelings, good emotions.”

The Raptors, who made the finals in the TIPOFF, were led Thursday by antoinelove, who finished with 20 points and 12 assists. Center Waseem “BallLikeSeem” Talbert posted 14 points and 17 rebounds.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will host Hawks Talon GC for a live in-person TURN group play contest on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the leAD Lake Nona Sports & Health Accelerator. The game is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. Fans interested in coming to the event can register HERE.

There will be an open play period prior to the game from 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. where those attending can play NBA 2K24, NBA JAM and more.

“That will be definitely a treat,” Snubby said. “It will be my first in-person game since I last played in the 2K League two years ago. Even though it’s not on stage yet, it’s still an in-person environment against a good team. They’re going to come in and try to fight. I have a lot of friends on that team so it will be good banter.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Takes Down Raptors Uprising GC in Thriller appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
FantaSZN’s Magic Gaming Debut Spoiled by Celtics Crossover Gaming in OT

# results[].description
ORLANDO – It was nearly a storybook Magic Gaming debut for Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman.

In his first game since being traded to Orlando just one day earlier, the third-year shooting guard knocked down a 3-pointer for the contest’s opening bucket, hit a huge triple to close out the first half, and drained a clutch go-ahead shot from deep with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for Orlando, that effort was not enough as Magic Gaming came up just short in a 78-73 overtime loss to Celtics Crossover Gaming in THE TURN 5v5 group play action on Wednesday.

While there were plenty of missed shots in the extra session that will certainly have Orlando frustrated when it reviews the film, Magic Gaming’s defense on one of the final possessions of regulation is what will keep them up at night.

With Orlando holding a three-point lead and less than seven seconds on the clock, Boston, which was out of timeouts, inbounded the basketball. A miscommunication on defense allowed Celtics Crossover Gaming point guard David “Leche” Jamous to break free and drain a game-tying triple with 4.6 ticks left that forced overtime.

“It was a breakdown that was unacceptable,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “At the end of the day, it’s on me. There was miscommunication on who was supposed to guard the corner and who was going to roam on the play and (center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano and power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares) both did the job of the roamer. So, we broke down. It’s just unacceptable. And I take full accountability for it.”

Leche scored a game-high 38, while center Jhade "Colt" Black added 22 points and 18 rebounds for Boston.

It was a disheartening defeat for an Orlando team that dropped to 2-5 in 2KL 5v5 action. In six of those seven games, Magic Gaming has held the lead with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In Wednesday’s outing, Orlando did not trail until the final minutes.

“We’re a team right now that’s missing a lot of open shots and is not converting down the stretch, and yet, we’re still in it every game,” said Edwards. “There are some silver linings there, but at a certain point, you are what your record is … We have to close games now or the season is going to pass us by.”

On the bright side, FantaSZN, who was acquired from Mavs Gaming on Tuesday in exchange for Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson, looked like quite the valuable addition, as he fired off 24 points in his Orlando debut.

“I love his assertiveness,” said Edwards. “He has a natural (ability) to find his way into the game … He’s been a big upgrade already for us internally. He really gives us a lot of effort. You can tell he comes from a structured environment and is trying to rub everyone the right way here … He was great tonight.”

LowkeyGodlike finished with team highs in points (26) and rebounds (19) for Orlando.

Up Next: Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Thursday when they face Raptors Uprising GC at 8 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
FantaSZN’s Magic Gaming Debut Spoiled by Celtics Crossover Gaming in OT

# results[].content
ORLANDO – It was nearly a storybook Magic Gaming debut for Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman.

In his first game since being traded to Orlando just one day earlier, the third-year shooting guard knocked down a 3-pointer for the contest’s opening bucket, hit a huge triple to close out the first half, and drained a clutch go-ahead shot from deep with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for Orlando, that effort was not enough as Magic Gaming came up just short in a 78-73 overtime loss to Celtics Crossover Gaming in THE TURN 5v5 group play action on Wednesday.

While there were plenty of missed shots in the extra session that will certainly have Orlando frustrated when it reviews the film, Magic Gaming’s defense on one of the final possessions of regulation is what will keep them up at night.

With Orlando holding a three-point lead and less than seven seconds on the clock, Boston, which was out of timeouts, inbounded the basketball. A miscommunication on defense allowed Celtics Crossover Gaming point guard David “Leche” Jamous to break free and drain a game-tying triple with 4.6 ticks left that forced overtime.

“It was a breakdown that was unacceptable,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “At the end of the day, it’s on me. There was miscommunication on who was supposed to guard the corner and who was going to roam on the play and (center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano and power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares) both did the job of the roamer. So, we broke down. It’s just unacceptable. And I take full accountability for it.”

Leche scored a game-high 38, while center Jhade “Colt” Black added 22 points and 18 rebounds for Boston.

It was a disheartening defeat for an Orlando team that dropped to 2-5 in 2KL 5v5 action. In six of those seven games, Magic Gaming has held the lead with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In Wednesday’s outing, Orlando did not trail until the final minutes.

“We’re a team right now that’s missing a lot of open shots and is not converting down the stretch, and yet, we’re still in it every game,” said Edwards. “There are some silver linings there, but at a certain point, you are what your record is … We have to close games now or the season is going to pass us by.”

On the bright side, FantaSZN, who was acquired from Mavs Gaming on Tuesday in exchange for Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson, looked like quite the valuable addition, as he fired off 24 points in his Orlando debut.

“I love his assertiveness,” said Edwards. “He has a natural (ability) to find his way into the game … He’s been a big upgrade already for us internally. He really gives us a lot of effort. You can tell he comes from a structured environment and is trying to rub everyone the right way here … He was great tonight.”

LowkeyGodlike finished with team highs in points (26) and rebounds (19) for Orlando.

Up Next: Magic Gaming returns to TURN group play action on Thursday when they face Raptors Uprising GC at 8 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post FantaSZN’s Magic Gaming Debut Spoiled by Celtics Crossover Gaming in OT appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Acquires FantaSZN from Mavs Gaming in Exchange for ReturnOfDJ

# results[].description
ORLANDO – After a historic run in 2024 NBA 2K League 3v3 action, Magic Gaming hoped to carry that momentum into the start of their 5v5 campaign.

Although Orlando held the lead in the fourth quarter of five of their six TIPOFF contests – the first 5v5 tournament of the 2KL season – they emerged with only two victories and fell short of bracket play.

Eager to flip the script heading into THE TURN, Magic Gaming executed a trade on Tuesday afternoon, acquiring shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman from Mavs Gaming in exchange for shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson.

“We saw the opportunity to get a player that we felt was really hungry and had a lot to prove coming from an environment that has a lot of structure and a defensive identity – things I felt that we were lacking,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “In an attempt to improve as we position ourselves through the end of the season, we saw Fanta as a guy that could potentially move us over the hurdle. In the TIPOFF tournament, we were winning with three minutes or less in five of our six games. We were right there. Bringing in a guy that we feel is an improvement can absolutely catapult us into a better position.”

Through six 5v5 contests in Dallas, FantaSZN is averaging 15.3 points, while shooting 50.8 percent from the floor and 48.1 percent from 3-point range.

While those numbers are certainly impressive, his biggest asset on the offensive end of the floor is his playmaking. The San Francisco native is averaging a lofty 8.0 assists per outing. Those numbers will be welcomed by an Orlando squad that is desperate to find additional offensive creation outside of All-Star point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter.

“I'm really looking forward to pairing him with Josh as a backcourt duo in a way that will provide Josh with his own opportunities,” said Edwards. “Fanta is a great playmaker from the shooting guard position. He is able to create for others, which we certainly were lacking. We had a lot of stagnation to our offense, and a lot of overreliance on Josh. I hope this brings Josh that relief with Fanta coming in, and maybe he can make plays and turn the tides of games that we haven’t been able to.”

FantaSZN won’t get too much time to assimilate to his new squad. Orlando has three TURN group play contests this week, beginning with Celtics Crossover Gaming on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

“We still have optimism in our room that we can do this thing,” said Edwards. “I’ve been telling the guys every day that the most important thing is that we believe that we can actually win. That’s where we are at this very moment. I hope this trend continues in the coming weeks, and we turn around at the end of the first week of THE TURN and we’re 3-0, and we’re in position where we can make it to bracket play and control our own destiny. That would be phenomenal. That’s the goal right now.”

After facing Raptors Uprising GC on Friday, Magic Gaming will close out the week by hosting their second in-person matchup in Orlando this season.

Magic Gaming will host Hawks Talon GC on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET at leAD Lake Nona at 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd. Admission to the game is free. Fans who arrive at 12:30 p.m. ET will also have the opportunity to participate in an open play session and take part in a special meet and greet. RSVP for the event here.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun on Saturday,” said Edwards. “We’re looking forward to Atlanta coming in, and hopefully we can get a victory. We’re looking to turn this thing around, and making sure we take care of home court on Saturday.”

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Acquires FantaSZN from Mavs Gaming in Exchange for ReturnOfDJ

# results[].content
ORLANDO – After a historic run in 2024 NBA 2K League 3v3 action, Magic Gaming hoped to carry that momentum into the start of their 5v5 campaign.

Although Orlando held the lead in the fourth quarter of five of their six TIPOFF contests – the first 5v5 tournament of the 2KL season – they emerged with only two victories and fell short of bracket play.

Eager to flip the script heading into THE TURN, Magic Gaming executed a trade on Tuesday afternoon, acquiring shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman from Mavs Gaming in exchange for shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson.

“We saw the opportunity to get a player that we felt was really hungry and had a lot to prove coming from an environment that has a lot of structure and a defensive identity – things I felt that we were lacking,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “In an attempt to improve as we position ourselves through the end of the season, we saw Fanta as a guy that could potentially move us over the hurdle. In the TIPOFF tournament, we were winning with three minutes or less in five of our six games. We were right there. Bringing in a guy that we feel is an improvement can absolutely catapult us into a better position.”

Through six 5v5 contests in Dallas, FantaSZN is averaging 15.3 points, while shooting 50.8 percent from the floor and 48.1 percent from 3-point range.

While those numbers are certainly impressive, his biggest asset on the offensive end of the floor is his playmaking. The San Francisco native is averaging a lofty 8.0 assists per outing. Those numbers will be welcomed by an Orlando squad that is desperate to find additional offensive creation outside of All-Star point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter.

“I’m really looking forward to pairing him with Josh as a backcourt duo in a way that will provide Josh with his own opportunities,” said Edwards. “Fanta is a great playmaker from the shooting guard position. He is able to create for others, which we certainly were lacking. We had a lot of stagnation to our offense, and a lot of overreliance on Josh. I hope this brings Josh that relief with Fanta coming in, and maybe he can make plays and turn the tides of games that we haven’t been able to.”

FantaSZN won’t get too much time to assimilate to his new squad. Orlando has three TURN group play contests this week, beginning with Celtics Crossover Gaming on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

“We still have optimism in our room that we can do this thing,” said Edwards. “I’ve been telling the guys every day that the most important thing is that we believe that we can actually win. That’s where we are at this very moment. I hope this trend continues in the coming weeks, and we turn around at the end of the first week of THE TURN and we’re 3-0, and we’re in position where we can make it to bracket play and control our own destiny. That would be phenomenal. That’s the goal right now.”

After facing Raptors Uprising GC on Friday, Magic Gaming will close out the week by hosting their second in-person matchup in Orlando this season.

Magic Gaming will host Hawks Talon GC on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET at leAD Lake Nona at 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd. Admission to the game is free. Fans who arrive at 12:30 p.m. ET will also have the opportunity to participate in an open play session and take part in a special meet and greet. RSVP for the event here.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun on Saturday,” said Edwards. “We’re looking forward to Atlanta coming in, and hopefully we can get a victory. We’re looking to turn this thing around, and making sure we take care of home court on Saturday.”

The post Magic Gaming Acquires FantaSZN from Mavs Gaming in Exchange for ReturnOfDJ appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Stumbles in Fourth Quarter in Loss to Raptors Uprising GC to Complete TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].description
ORLANDO - All six of Magic Gaming’s contests in the TIPOFF came down to fourth-quarter play. In two of them, Orlando tightened up its defense down the stretch and made clutch shots. In the other four, including Friday’s against Raptors Uprising GC, it was their opponent that stepped up in those final minutes.

Down only two going into the final frame, Orlando struggled to hit perimeter shots and contain Toronto’s dynamic offense in the late stages of its 74-61 defeat.

“We had made a defensive adjustment in the third quarter, which led to our best defensive quarter tonight,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “They just came out and ran a specific set that manipulated us and really shouldn’t be getting open the way that they were, but we just don’t communicate at a high enough level to be able to play the defense that we (needed to). Essentially, they just broke us down.”

Toronto, which opened the fourth with eight unanswered points, punched its ticket to Washington, D.C. next week for TIPOFF bracket play. Joining them from this group will be the hometown team, Wizards District Gaming.

Raptors center Waseem “BallLikeSeem” Talbert went a perfect 13-of-13 from the field in Friday’s game and finished with a game-high 30 points to go along with grabbing 10 rebounds, while point guard Antoine “Antoinelove” Times, acquired by Toronto in the offseason in a blockbuster trade, posted 27 points and 14 assists.

Aside from their defensive breakdowns in the fourth, the Magic struggled mightily with their perimeter shooting. They knocked down only four of their 15 3-point attempts (26.7 percent), with some of them being open looks.

“To be honest, I felt like tonight, and in general, we’ve been getting open looks and enough volume from the three-point line,” Edwards said. “I just don’t think we’ve been executing and hitting our open shots. I don’t see many teams in the league miss a lot of open threes, and for whatever reason we are…I don’t look at that game and say we have to get better quality threes. I think we got quality threes. We just didn’t hit them in the moments we needed to hit them.”

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 21 points and 10 assists, while Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson had 14 points and four assists.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will return to action on Wednesday, May 29 when they take on Celtics Crossover Gaming at 7 p.m. to start the TURN group play. The other teams in Orlando’s group in that tournament will be the Raptors, Hawks Talon TC, NetsGC, Gen.G and 76ers GC.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Stumbles in Fourth Quarter in Loss to Raptors Uprising GC to Complete TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].content
ORLANDO – All six of Magic Gaming’s contests in the TIPOFF came down to fourth-quarter play. In two of them, Orlando tightened up its defense down the stretch and made clutch shots. In the other four, including Friday’s against Raptors Uprising GC, it was their opponent that stepped up in those final minutes.

Down only two going into the final frame, Orlando struggled to hit perimeter shots and contain Toronto’s dynamic offense in the late stages of its 74-61 defeat.

“We had made a defensive adjustment in the third quarter, which led to our best defensive quarter tonight,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “They just came out and ran a specific set that manipulated us and really shouldn’t be getting open the way that they were, but we just don’t communicate at a high enough level to be able to play the defense that we (needed to). Essentially, they just broke us down.”

Toronto, which opened the fourth with eight unanswered points, punched its ticket to Washington, D.C. next week for TIPOFF bracket play. Joining them from this group will be the hometown team, Wizards District Gaming.

Raptors center Waseem “BallLikeSeem” Talbert went a perfect 13-of-13 from the field in Friday’s game and finished with a game-high 30 points to go along with grabbing 10 rebounds, while point guard Antoine “Antoinelove” Times, acquired by Toronto in the offseason in a blockbuster trade, posted 27 points and 14 assists.

Aside from their defensive breakdowns in the fourth, the Magic struggled mightily with their perimeter shooting. They knocked down only four of their 15 3-point attempts (26.7 percent), with some of them being open looks.

“To be honest, I felt like tonight, and in general, we’ve been getting open looks and enough volume from the three-point line,” Edwards said. “I just don’t think we’ve been executing and hitting our open shots. I don’t see many teams in the league miss a lot of open threes, and for whatever reason we are…I don’t look at that game and say we have to get better quality threes. I think we got quality threes. We just didn’t hit them in the moments we needed to hit them.”

Joshua “unguardable” Hunter led the Magic with 21 points and 10 assists, while Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson had 14 points and four assists.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will return to action on Wednesday, May 29 when they take on Celtics Crossover Gaming at 7 p.m. to start the TURN group play. The other teams in Orlando’s group in that tournament will be the Raptors, Hawks Talon TC, NetsGC, Gen.G and 76ers GC.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Stumbles in Fourth Quarter in Loss to Raptors Uprising GC to Complete TIPOFF Group Play appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Unable to Hold off Cavs Legion GC

# results[].description
ORLANDO – In the first half of Magic Gaming's matchup with Cavs Legion GC, Orlando appeared to have all the momentum. Magic Gaming was playing suffocating defense, executing efficient offense, and they even had a few bounces go their way. But all of that momentum evaporated in an instant, or in this case a crash. An hour-long delay due to a server crash coupled with poor second-half defense sucked the wind out of Magic Gaming’s sails in a 58-52 loss to Cavs Legion GC on Thursday night. The defeat eliminated Orlando from qualifying for TIPOFF bracket play. “They adjusted defensively,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “I guess it helps when you have an hour to do so. They played a lot of good defense and scored some big shots. We turned it over a couple of times down the stretch, we weren’t able to score, and they were able to close us out.” It was a wild turn for a Magic Gaming team that was firing on all cylinders in the first half. Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares drained a 66-foot heave from behind Orlando's own 3-point line to close out the first quarter. That triple spawned a 17-4 Magic Gaming first-half run that allowed them to take a 15-point lead into halftime.

“We did a good job defensively, especially in that second quarter,” said Edwards. “That gave us that 15-point lead heading into halftime. As the game went on, they adjusted.”

However, amidst that run, the game crashed and caused an hour-long delay. Orlando was not the same squad it was prior to the adversity, while Cleveland came out full steam ahead.

“I’m certainly not one to blame the circumstances for a loss,” said Edwards. “But this was probably the most extreme set of circumstances that I’ve experienced in my seven years of coaching in this league. It’s really hard to rally when you have something like that going on.”

Cleveland would go on to outscore Orlando 38-17 in the second half.

Point guard Antoine “Antoine” Featherstone led Cavs Legion GC with 24 points.

Meanwhile, center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano finished with team highs in points (17) and rebounds (11) for Magic Gaming. Point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter and Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson each scored 11.
UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Friday when they go head-to-head with Raptors Uprising GC at 6 p.m. ET. HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Unable to Hold off Cavs Legion GC

# results[].content
ORLANDO – In the first half of Magic Gaming’s matchup with Cavs Legion GC, Orlando appeared to have all the momentum.

Magic Gaming was playing suffocating defense, executing efficient offense, and they even had a few bounces go their way. But all of that momentum evaporated in an instant, or in this case a crash.

An hour-long delay due to a server crash coupled with poor second-half defense sucked the wind out of Magic Gaming’s sails in a 58-52 loss to Cavs Legion GC on Thursday night. The defeat eliminated Orlando from qualifying for TIPOFF bracket play.

“They adjusted defensively,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “I guess it helps when you have an hour to do so. They played a lot of good defense and scored some big shots. We turned it over a couple of times down the stretch, we weren’t able to score, and they were able to close us out.”

It was a wild turn for a Magic Gaming team that was firing on all cylinders in the first half. Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares drained a 66-foot heave from behind Orlando’s own 3-point line to close out the first quarter. That triple spawned a 17-4 Magic Gaming first-half run that allowed them to take a 15-point lead into halftime.

“We did a good job defensively, especially in that second quarter,” said Edwards. “That gave us that 15-point lead heading into halftime. As the game went on, they adjusted.”

However, amidst that run, the game crashed and caused an hour-long delay. Orlando was not the same squad it was prior to the adversity, while Cleveland came out full steam ahead.

“I’m certainly not one to blame the circumstances for a loss,” said Edwards. “But this was probably the most extreme set of circumstances that I’ve experienced in my seven years of coaching in this league. It’s really hard to rally when you have something like that going on.”

Cleveland would go on to outscore Orlando 38-17 in the second half.

Point guard Antoine “Antoine” Featherstone led Cavs Legion GC with 24 points.

Meanwhile, center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano finished with team highs in points (17) and rebounds (11) for Magic Gaming. Point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter and Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson each scored 11.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Friday when they go head-to-head with Raptors Uprising GC at 6 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Unable to Hold off Cavs Legion GC appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Stout Fourth-Quarter Defense Helps Magic Gaming Pull Away From NetsGC in TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].description
ORLANDO - Often in close games, it’s the team that takes care of the ball down the stretch that prevails. That was certainly true in Wednesday’s TIPOFF group play contest between Magic Gaming and NetsGC.

In the fourth quarter, Brooklyn committed four turnovers, while Orlando had just one en route to its 77-72 victory.

“We just put them in favorable spots to where we can play defense and actually guard it the way we wanted to,” Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter said. “We started to shrink the court better on (Tariq) “Greens” (Reed), who is obviously a very efficient scorer. Overall, we just picked (it up) and played defense.”

Another key factor was the Magic’s refusal to settle for outside shots. With the Nets sealing off the perimeter, Orlando had no problem attacking the basket and scoring at will on drives and cuts.

Inside the arc, the Magic made 31 of their 33 shot attempts (94 percent). From 3-point range, they went 4-of-10.

“We focus in on being very efficient as a team,” unguardable said. “It’s just a different style of play. If we are efficient, we feel like we can beat anyone.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 27 points and 14 assists, while Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano, one of the Magic’s prized offseason additions, tallied 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman each scored 11 points and rookie sensation Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Greens paced Brooklyn with 30 points and 10 assists, while NBA 2K League Season One MVP Dayne "OneWildWalnut" Downey finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Magic Gaming has now won two straight after losing their first two of the TIPOFF. In a relatively short period of time, they have made substantial progress on both ends of the floor.

“There’s definitely been improvement,” LowkeyGodlike said. “Us going five out definitely helped. As long as we continue playing as a team, we should have good results.”

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming is back in action on Thursday when they take on Cavs Legion GC at 7 p.m. ET. These two teams squared off in the 5v5 opener last week, with Cleveland winning that meeting 70-63.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Stout Fourth-Quarter Defense Helps Magic Gaming Pull Away From NetsGC in TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].content
ORLANDO – Often in close games, it’s the team that takes care of the ball down the stretch that prevails. That was certainly true in Wednesday’s TIPOFF group play contest between Magic Gaming and NetsGC.

In the fourth quarter, Brooklyn committed four turnovers, while Orlando had just one en route to its 77-72 victory.

“We just put them in favorable spots to where we can play defense and actually guard it the way we wanted to,” Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter said. “We started to shrink the court better on (Tariq) “Greens” (Reed), who is obviously a very efficient scorer. Overall, we just picked (it up) and played defense.”

Another key factor was the Magic’s refusal to settle for outside shots. With the Nets sealing off the perimeter, Orlando had no problem attacking the basket and scoring at will on drives and cuts.

Inside the arc, the Magic made 31 of their 33 shot attempts (94 percent). From 3-point range, they went 4-of-10.

“We focus in on being very efficient as a team,” unguardable said. “It’s just a different style of play. If we are efficient, we feel like we can beat anyone.”

Unguardable led Orlando with 27 points and 14 assists, while Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano, one of the Magic’s prized offseason additions, tallied 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman each scored 11 points and rookie sensation Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Greens paced Brooklyn with 30 points and 10 assists, while NBA 2K League Season One MVP Dayne “OneWildWalnut” Downey finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Magic Gaming has now won two straight after losing their first two of the TIPOFF. In a relatively short period of time, they have made substantial progress on both ends of the floor.

“There’s definitely been improvement,” LowkeyGodlike said. “Us going five out definitely helped. As long as we continue playing as a team, we should have good results.”

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming is back in action on Thursday when they take on Cavs Legion GC at 7 p.m. ET. These two teams squared off in the 5v5 opener last week, with Cleveland winning that meeting 70-63.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Stout Fourth-Quarter Defense Helps Magic Gaming Pull Away From NetsGC in TIPOFF Group Play appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Tops NBL Oz for First 5v5 Win of Season

# results[].description
ORLANDO – If Magic Gaming is hoping to follow the script of their 3v3 season, they’re doing an excellent job.

In threes, Orlando started off 0-2 before defeating NBL Oz Gaming and subsequently going on a historic run. Magic Gaming finished their 3v3 campaign as the only team in the NBA 2K League to reach the grand finals in every tournament as well as the playoffs, and also bring home a banner title.

After an 0-2 start to its 5v5 campaign, Orlando noticed an interesting scheduling coincidence. The next team on its docket was once again NBL Oz.

With thought of repeating history in mind, Magic Gaming edged NBL Oz in a high-scoring affair 87-82 on Friday for their first win of the 2024 2KL 5v5 campaign.

“That was a funny coincidence,” said small forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, who tallied 12 points, six assists, and three steals. “The format in fives is definitely more unforgiving than in threes in terms of getting into bracket play. But as long as we focus on what we can do, I think we are the only ones who can beat ourselves.”

One night after switching center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano to a popper build, Orlando moved point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter to a floor spacing slasher archetype in an effort to boost its offense. Mission accomplished.

Unguardable went a scorching 12-for-14 from the floor on his way to a team-high 30 points. The 3v3 MVP finalist also dished out 11 assists. Orlando shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson poured in 22 points, while LowkeyGodlike added 14 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.

“It feels good,” said ReturnOfDJ. “It’s my first win as a (member of) the Orlando Magic. It feels great, especially after going 0-2. It was either win and keep fighting, or lose and the season (will feel like) it’s over. We came out trying to fight. So, it feels great.”

Orlando came away with a victory on a night where it did not deliver a peak defensive performance. NBL Oz point guard Caesar “Ceez” Martinez erupted for a contest-best 43 points, while going a perfect 18-for-18 from the field.

However, Magic Gaming came up with big stops when they needed them. None was bigger than a block by power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares with 26.6 seconds left that not only sent away the shot by Cristian "Plu" Young, but also went out of bounds off of the NBL Oz power forward.

“It was key,” said ReturnOfDJ. “The way they play with a five-out play style, it’s tough to get stops … We knew we were one stop away from winning the game, and JB – he’s a big-time player – he made a play.”

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Wednesday when they square off with NetsGC at 8 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Tops NBL Oz for First 5v5 Win of Season

# results[].content
ORLANDO – If Magic Gaming is hoping to follow the script of their 3v3 season, they’re doing an excellent job.

In threes, Orlando started off 0-2 before defeating NBL Oz Gaming and subsequently going on a historic run. Magic Gaming finished their 3v3 campaign as the only team in the NBA 2K League to reach the grand finals in every tournament as well as the playoffs, and also bring home a banner title.

After an 0-2 start to its 5v5 campaign, Orlando noticed an interesting scheduling coincidence. The next team on its docket was once again NBL Oz.

With thought of repeating history in mind, Magic Gaming edged NBL Oz in a high-scoring affair 87-82 on Friday for their first win of the 2024 2KL 5v5 campaign.

“That was a funny coincidence,” said small forward Justin “Snubby” Stemerman, who tallied 12 points, six assists, and three steals. “The format in fives is definitely more unforgiving than in threes in terms of getting into bracket play. But as long as we focus on what we can do, I think we are the only ones who can beat ourselves.”

One night after switching center Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano to a popper build, Orlando moved point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter to a floor spacing slasher archetype in an effort to boost its offense. Mission accomplished.

Unguardable went a scorching 12-for-14 from the floor on his way to a team-high 30 points. The 3v3 MVP finalist also dished out 11 assists. Orlando shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson poured in 22 points, while LowkeyGodlike added 14 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.

“It feels good,” said ReturnOfDJ. “It’s my first win as a (member of) the Orlando Magic. It feels great, especially after going 0-2. It was either win and keep fighting, or lose and the season (will feel like) it’s over. We came out trying to fight. So, it feels great.”

Orlando came away with a victory on a night where it did not deliver a peak defensive performance. NBL Oz point guard Caesar “Ceez” Martinez erupted for a contest-best 43 points, while going a perfect 18-for-18 from the field.

However, Magic Gaming came up with big stops when they needed them. None was bigger than a block by power forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares with 26.6 seconds left that not only sent away the shot by Cristian “Plu” Young, but also went out of bounds off of the NBL Oz power forward.

“It was key,” said ReturnOfDJ. “The way they play with a five-out play style, it’s tough to get stops … We knew we were one stop away from winning the game, and JB – he’s a big-time player – he made a play.”

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Wednesday when they square off with NetsGC at 8 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Tops NBL Oz for First 5v5 Win of Season appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Comes Up Short Against Wizards District Gaming in TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].description
ORLANDO - In the 5v5 opener on Wednesday against Cavs Legion GC, it was the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter where things got away for Magic Gaming. In Thursday’s contest, against Wizards District Gaming, it was the last couple minutes of the final frame where the game was lost.

Orlando led by four with two minutes left before Washington recaptured momentum with a combination of clutch threes and stout defense in its 74-69 victory in TIPOFF group play.

Benjamin “Benzo” Bernstein, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA 2K League Draft, started the Wizards’ late run with a 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining. Exactly a minute later, Antonio “Newdini” Newman drilled a triple of his own that gave Washington a four-point lead. Brandon “BRich” Richardson’s 3-pointer with 28 seconds left would basically seal it.

“Similar tale of the tape as yesterday where we just had a lot of breakdowns defensively, especially with communication that led to really big mental lapses and 3-point shots for the other team,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “Leaving people wide open on the perimeter, especially when that’s their only source of offense, is not going to get it done. We are going to make some changes and see how things go.”

The game was a seesaw battle throughout. Neither team ever gained full control, which led to the close finish. The score was even at 33 at halftime.

Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano, playing on the popper build, racked up 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Orlando, while Joshua “unguardable” Hunter posted 18 points and 12 dimes and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman had 11 points.

Benzo led Washington with 20 points and 13 assists, while BRich scored 17 and Xavier “Type” Vescovi tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Washington hit three more 3-pointers than Orlando and out-rebounded them by eight.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Friday when they take on NBL Oz Gaming at 6 p.m. ET.

“NBL Oz has been in a full five out,” Edwards said. “Ceez has been really, really sharp for them.  Bagmotion has been really good at kind of forcing fluky turnovers and running the break. They are a tricky team to guard. We are going to have to really analyze the film in a short turnaround here and see exactly what we are facing."

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Comes Up Short Against Wizards District Gaming in TIPOFF Group Play

# results[].content
ORLANDO – In the 5v5 opener on Wednesday against Cavs Legion GC, it was the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter where things got away for Magic Gaming. In Thursday’s contest, against Wizards District Gaming, it was the last couple minutes of the final frame where the game was lost.

Orlando led by four with two minutes left before Washington recaptured momentum with a combination of clutch threes and stout defense in its 74-69 victory in TIPOFF group play.

Benjamin “Benzo” Bernstein, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA 2K League Draft, started the Wizards’ late run with a 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining. Exactly a minute later, Antonio “Newdini” Newman drilled a triple of his own that gave Washington a four-point lead. Brandon “BRich” Richardson’s 3-pointer with 28 seconds left would basically seal it.

“Similar tale of the tape as yesterday where we just had a lot of breakdowns defensively, especially with communication that led to really big mental lapses and 3-point shots for the other team,” Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards said. “Leaving people wide open on the perimeter, especially when that’s their only source of offense, is not going to get it done. We are going to make some changes and see how things go.”

The game was a seesaw battle throughout. Neither team ever gained full control, which led to the close finish. The score was even at 33 at halftime.

Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano, playing on the popper build, racked up 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Orlando, while Joshua “unguardable” Hunter posted 18 points and 12 dimes and Justin “Snubby” Stemerman had 11 points.

Benzo led Washington with 20 points and 13 assists, while BRich scored 17 and Xavier “Type” Vescovi tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Washington hit three more 3-pointers than Orlando and out-rebounded them by eight.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Friday when they take on NBL Oz Gaming at 6 p.m. ET.

“NBL Oz has been in a full five out,” Edwards said. “Ceez has been really, really sharp for them.  Bagmotion has been really good at kind of forcing fluky turnovers and running the break. They are a tricky team to guard. We are going to have to really analyze the film in a short turnaround here and see exactly what we are facing.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Comes Up Short Against Wizards District Gaming in TIPOFF Group Play appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Slips Down the Stretch in TIPOFF Loss to Cavs Legion GC

# results[].description
ORLANDO – What people remember about Magic Gaming’s 2024 3v3 season is that they were the most consistent team in the NBA 2K League. Not only did they come away with a banner title, but they were also the only squad to make the grand finals in both of the league’s tournaments (SLAM OPEN and SWITCH OPEN) as well as in the playoffs. What people forget is that Orlando dropped its first two group play matchups in that mode before turning the tide of its season.
Magic Gaming’s 5v5 campaign got off to a similar start on Wednesday night. Turnovers plagued Orlando down the stretch as it fell to Cavs Legion GC 70-63 in its TIPOFF group play opener.
“You have to have a short memory in the 2K League – certainly in the 5v5 season,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We’re obviously going to aim to do that. In the 3v3 season, we turned things around quickly, but we don’t have as much time to recover, frankly. So, we have to make sure it’s a sharp turn here.” Orlando entered the final frame of the contest with a one-point lead. However, Magic Gaming coughed up the ball six times in the fourth quarter. Orlando finished the matchup with 11 giveaways, while Cleveland only had one. “Turnovers were certainly the difference in the game,” said Edwards. “(Cleveland) dictated the pace of the game on both ends.” Cavs point guard Antoine “Antoine” Featherstone erupted for 17 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. Cleveland shooting guard Brian “Killeyy” Diaz scored 22, while center Malik “Slaughter” Leisinger notched 12 points and 14 rebounds. For Orlando, point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter – a 3v3 MVP finalist – recorded game highs in points (27) and assists (11). Shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson, making his Magic Gaming debut after being acquired by Orlando this offseason, added 19 points. UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Thursday when they face Wizards District Gaming at 9 p.m. ET. “They’re another aggressive defensive team,” said Edwards. “We’re going to have to make sure we handle the ball (and) score the ball. I don’t think we were very good or in rhythm on offense at all tonight.”
HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Slips Down the Stretch in TIPOFF Loss to Cavs Legion GC

# results[].content
ORLANDO – What people remember about Magic Gaming’s 2024 3v3 season is that they were the most consistent team in the NBA 2K League. Not only did they come away with a banner title, but they were also the only squad to make the grand finals in both of the league’s tournaments (SLAM OPEN and SWITCH OPEN) as well as in the playoffs.

What people forget is that Orlando dropped its first two group play matchups in that mode before turning the tide of its season.

Magic Gaming’s 5v5 campaign got off to a similar start on Wednesday night. Turnovers plagued Orlando down the stretch as it fell to Cavs Legion GC 70-63 in its TIPOFF group play opener.

“You have to have a short memory in the 2K League – certainly in the 5v5 season,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We’re obviously going to aim to do that. In the 3v3 season, we turned things around quickly, but we don’t have as much time to recover, frankly. So, we have to make sure it’s a sharp turn here.”

Orlando entered the final frame of the contest with a one-point lead. However, Magic Gaming coughed up the ball six times in the fourth quarter. Orlando finished the matchup with 11 giveaways, while Cleveland only had one.

“Turnovers were certainly the difference in the game,” said Edwards. “(Cleveland) dictated the pace of the game on both ends.”

Cavs point guard Antoine “Antoine” Featherstone erupted for 17 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. Cleveland shooting guard Brian “Killeyy” Diaz scored 22, while center Malik “Slaughter” Leisinger notched 12 points and 14 rebounds.

For Orlando, point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter – a 3v3 MVP finalist – recorded game highs in points (27) and assists (11). Shooting guard Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson, making his Magic Gaming debut after being acquired by Orlando this offseason, added 19 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming returns to TIPOFF group play action on Thursday when they face Wizards District Gaming at 9 p.m. ET.

“They’re another aggressive defensive team,” said Edwards. “We’re going to have to make sure we handle the ball (and) score the ball. I don’t think we were very good or in rhythm on offense at all tonight.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Slips Down the Stretch in TIPOFF Loss to Cavs Legion GC appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming’s Sensational 3v3 Season Comes to an End in Grand Finals Loss to Lakers Gaming

# results[].description
The Lead: Magic Gaming put together one of the most impressive 3v3 campaigns in NBA 2K League history. They made the grand finals of both regular season tournaments, claimed the SWITCH OPEN title, and reached the championship round of the playoffs. However, Orlando was unable to put a bow on its stellar run, falling to Lakers Gaming in the 3v3 grand finals.

“I’m really proud of the season in general and the guys for fighting,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “It takes a whole team to make this happen. We did a great job of sticking together through the kind of times that can knock a team down. Incredibly proud (and) incredibly humbled by it all. Not the end result we wanted. We wanted to be a champion. We wanted to bring it back home to Orlando. Ultimately, there’s a lot of peace to be taken in how we performed. It’s not easy to stay consistent in the 2K League for three months. We found a way to do it.”

As a result of their second place finish in the 3v3 playoffs, Magic Gaming took home a collective prize of $100,000.

Game 1: It’s rare to see Magic Gaming struggle in a series opener, but in Game 1 Orlando took a moment to find its rhythm. Lakers Gaming opened the contest on an 8-0 run as they cruised past Magic Gaming 22-15.

Game 2: Orlando appeared to have the perfect game plan to respond against L.A. It opened the contest on a 7-0 run and consistently created open looks. However, shot making became an issue down the stretch as Magic Gaming dropped a 21-17 decision to Lakers Gaming.

Lakers Gaming power forward Arshia “Krazy” Karimi led his squad with eight points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter had team highs in points (eight) and assists (four).

Game 3: Any hopes of a miraculous comeback were quickly erased as Lakers Gaming jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. L.A. emerged with a 22-13 triumph over Orlando to claim the game, the series, and the 3v3 championship.

Small forward Veron “YooVc” Coates led L.A. with nine points as Lakers Gaming swept Magic Gaming without ever getting a double-digit performance from MVP candidate Dhwan “ShiftyKaii” White.

“Shot making was the reason we weren’t able to take down the Lakers,” said Edwards. “We were playing well, but could not hit the shots that we normally hit. There were a lot of external and environmental factors in play there – it is what it is. Disappointed with the result, but proud of the effort from the team. Nothing I would change as far as the game plan even in hindsight.”

HOW THEY GOT THERE: Orlando had its share of success on Saturday, which propelled it to the grand finals. First, Magic Gaming made quick work of Bucks Gaming in the lower bracket semifinals. Then, Orlando got its revenge on Gen.G, who beat them earlier in the postseason, in order to advance to the grand finals. Here’s a closer look at those series:

Lower Bracket Semifinals – Magic Gaming Defeats Bucks Gaming 3-1:

Game 1: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 15

Game 2: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 15

Game 3: Bucks Gaming 22, Magic Gaming 9

Game 4: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 16

Series Synopsis: “I thought we did a great job of problem solving in real time. After Game 1, where it just wasn’t working as we had hoped, we adjusted and did a great job of forcing some turnovers and putting (guard) Mason “JohhnyRed” Bracken in tougher spots as the series moved on. That was exactly what we hoped to do. I thought we did a good job after that.” – Edwards

Lower Bracket Finals – Magic Gaming Sweeps Gen. G 3-0:

Game 1: Magic Gaming 22, Gen. G 20

Game 2: Magic Gaming 23, Gen.G 17

Game 3: Magic Gaming 23, Gen. G 20

Series Synopsis: “It felt great to beat Gen. G. We knew we were the better team in our series with them on Friday night. What we thought would happen was exactly what did happen. We beat Milwaukee after focusing on that. And then, we would face Gen. G and punch them right in the mouth. We had a horrible start in Game 1, but we rallied like hell. Super proud of the team for that.” – Edwards

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will start the 5v5 portion of the NBA 2K League season on May 8 against Cavs Legion GC at 7 p.m. ET in THE TIPOFF.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming’s Sensational 3v3 Season Comes to an End in Grand Finals Loss to Lakers Gaming

# results[].content
The Lead: Magic Gaming put together one of the most impressive 3v3 campaigns in NBA 2K League history. They made the grand finals of both regular season tournaments, claimed the SWITCH OPEN title, and reached the championship round of the playoffs. However, Orlando was unable to put a bow on its stellar run, falling to Lakers Gaming in the 3v3 grand finals.

“I’m really proud of the season in general and the guys for fighting,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “It takes a whole team to make this happen. We did a great job of sticking together through the kind of times that can knock a team down. Incredibly proud (and) incredibly humbled by it all. Not the end result we wanted. We wanted to be a champion. We wanted to bring it back home to Orlando. Ultimately, there’s a lot of peace to be taken in how we performed. It’s not easy to stay consistent in the 2K League for three months. We found a way to do it.”

As a result of their second place finish in the 3v3 playoffs, Magic Gaming took home a collective prize of $100,000.

Game 1: It’s rare to see Magic Gaming struggle in a series opener, but in Game 1 Orlando took a moment to find its rhythm. Lakers Gaming opened the contest on an 8-0 run as they cruised past Magic Gaming 22-15.

Game 2: Orlando appeared to have the perfect game plan to respond against L.A. It opened the contest on a 7-0 run and consistently created open looks. However, shot making became an issue down the stretch as Magic Gaming dropped a 21-17 decision to Lakers Gaming.

Lakers Gaming power forward Arshia “Krazy” Karimi led his squad with eight points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter had team highs in points (eight) and assists (four).

Game 3: Any hopes of a miraculous comeback were quickly erased as Lakers Gaming jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. L.A. emerged with a 22-13 triumph over Orlando to claim the game, the series, and the 3v3 championship.

Small forward Veron “YooVc” Coates led L.A. with nine points as Lakers Gaming swept Magic Gaming without ever getting a double-digit performance from MVP candidate Dhwan “ShiftyKaii” White.

“Shot making was the reason we weren’t able to take down the Lakers,” said Edwards. “We were playing well, but could not hit the shots that we normally hit. There were a lot of external and environmental factors in play there – it is what it is. Disappointed with the result, but proud of the effort from the team. Nothing I would change as far as the game plan even in hindsight.”

HOW THEY GOT THERE: Orlando had its share of success on Saturday, which propelled it to the grand finals. First, Magic Gaming made quick work of Bucks Gaming in the lower bracket semifinals. Then, Orlando got its revenge on Gen.G, who beat them earlier in the postseason, in order to advance to the grand finals. Here’s a closer look at those series:

Lower Bracket Semifinals – Magic Gaming Defeats Bucks Gaming 3-1:

Game 1: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 15

Game 2: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 15

Game 3: Bucks Gaming 22, Magic Gaming 9

Game 4: Magic Gaming 22, Bucks Gaming 16

Series Synopsis: “I thought we did a great job of problem solving in real time. After Game 1, where it just wasn’t working as we had hoped, we adjusted and did a great job of forcing some turnovers and putting (guard) Mason “JohhnyRed” Bracken in tougher spots as the series moved on. That was exactly what we hoped to do. I thought we did a good job after that.” – Edwards

Lower Bracket Finals – Magic Gaming Sweeps Gen. G 3-0:

Game 1: Magic Gaming 22, Gen. G 20

Game 2: Magic Gaming 23, Gen.G 17

Game 3: Magic Gaming 23, Gen. G 20

Series Synopsis: “It felt great to beat Gen. G. We knew we were the better team in our series with them on Friday night. What we thought would happen was exactly what did happen. We beat Milwaukee after focusing on that. And then, we would face Gen. G and punch them right in the mouth. We had a horrible start in Game 1, but we rallied like hell. Super proud of the team for that.” – Edwards

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will start the 5v5 portion of the NBA 2K League season on May 8 against Cavs Legion GC at 7 p.m. ET in THE TIPOFF.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming’s Sensational 3v3 Season Comes to an End in Grand Finals Loss to Lakers Gaming appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Advances to Lower Bracket Semifinals with Win Over 76ers GC

# results[].description
The Lead: In any sport, the best teams find ways to win and advance even on days where they’re not playing at their peak. That was the case for Magic Gaming on Friday night. After struggling to find their offensive rhythm and dropping a series to the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Orlando responded by earning a scrappy victory over 76ers GC to advance to the lower bracket semifinals of the 2024 NBA 2K League 3v3 playoffs.

“That’s exactly what we did,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We knew that we weren’t playing our best ball, so survive and advance was our mentality. That’s what we did … However, we’re not thrilled with the results from today. Top four isn’t what we set out to do this season. It’s to win a 2K League championship. We made our path significantly more challenging.”

With the triumph, Orlando guarantees a top-four finish in the 2KL postseason, thus ensuring it will leave with a minimum prize of $45,000.

Game 1: It’s not often that Magic Gaming drops a series opener, but that’s what happened against 76ers GC. Orlando’s offense went cold in a 21-14 defeat.

Philadelphia small forward Damon “DJ” Jones notched eight points and four rebounds, while point guard Andre “Dre” Marshall tallied seven points and three assists.

Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter and small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares each scored six.

Game 2: When your team is searching for answers, sometimes you have to turn to your best player. Unguardable, who opted to switch builds prior to this contest, drained a game-winning 3-pointer to propel Orlando to a 22-20 win over Philadelphia.

Magic Gaming’s All-Star floor general recorded a contest-best 15 points.

“The inside-out playmaker (build) gives much better scoring around the rim,” said Edwards. “I thought it might give us the opportunity to get some free points in a series where we weren’t able to score the ball on the perimeter well. We were getting open shots, we were getting to our spots, but we weren’t able to knock them down effectively. Instead of beating our heads against a wall against a team that we can get a bunch of stops against, we thought let’s get Josh on a build where he can dunk it when he needs to. That’s what we did and it showed that it was helpful.”

Game 3: It took until the third game of the series, but Orlando finally found its offensive groove against a staunch Philadelphia defense. Power forward Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano notched 11 points, four rebounds and three assists to lift Magic Gaming to a 22-12 triumph.

Jboolin scored seven, while unguardable tallied four points and six assists.

Game 4: The best way to fuel a struggling offense is through your defense. Orlando forced five Philadelphia turnovers in a 22-14 series-clinching triumph.

Unguardable fired off 13 points, while LowkeyGodlike added seven.

EARLIER IN THE NIGHT: Magic Gaming Falls to Gen.G in Upper Bracket Semifinals

Game 1: Throughout this 2KL 3v3 season, strong starts and Magic Gaming have been synonymous. That trend continued in the series opener as Orlando cruised to a 22-11 victory over Gen.G.

Magic Gaming point guard and league MVP candidate unguardable was sensational. He went a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, including 4-for-4 from deep, on his way to a contest-best 16 points. Orlando opened the outing on a 7-0 run.

Game 2: Magic Gaming had their chances to pull off a thrilling comeback triumph, but instead came up just short in a 24-20 defeat to Gen.G.

Tigers point guard Jaiden “gallow” Frank poured in a game-high 17 points.

LowkeyGodlike led Orlando with 12 points. Unguardable added eight, but had three turnovers.

Game 3: Gallow’s torrid pace carried over into this one as he scored a series-best 21 points to push Gen.G past Magic Gaming 23-18. Gallow was a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor.

Unguardable posted 10 points for Orlando.

Game 4: Despite having multiple chances down the stretch to close out the contest, Magic Gaming was unable to convert and dropped the series with a 22-19 defeat.

Gen.G’s offense once again revolved around Gallow, who knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer and finished with 20 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will face Bucks Gaming on Saturday in the lower bracket semifinals at 3:45 p.m. ET. If they were to advance, they would then face the loser of Lakers Gaming and Gen.G in the lower bracket finals. The winner of that matchup would then advance to the championship match where it would take two straight series victories to leave with the 3v3 title.

“Of course, we’ll have to score the ball at a more effective rate,” said Edwards. “But it’s going to be more about the energy we bring towards the game, even in the first game versus Milwaukee.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Advances to Lower Bracket Semifinals with Win Over 76ers GC

# results[].content
The Lead: In any sport, the best teams find ways to win and advance even on days where they’re not playing at their peak. That was the case for Magic Gaming on Friday night. After struggling to find their offensive rhythm and dropping a series to the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Orlando responded by earning a scrappy victory over 76ers GC to advance to the lower bracket semifinals of the 2024 NBA 2K League 3v3 playoffs.

“That’s exactly what we did,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We knew that we weren’t playing our best ball, so survive and advance was our mentality. That’s what we did … However, we’re not thrilled with the results from today. Top four isn’t what we set out to do this season. It’s to win a 2K League championship. We made our path significantly more challenging.”

With the triumph, Orlando guarantees a top-four finish in the 2KL postseason, thus ensuring it will leave with a minimum prize of $45,000.

Game 1: It’s not often that Magic Gaming drops a series opener, but that’s what happened against 76ers GC. Orlando’s offense went cold in a 21-14 defeat.

Philadelphia small forward Damon “DJ” Jones notched eight points and four rebounds, while point guard Andre “Dre” Marshall tallied seven points and three assists.

Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter and small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares each scored six.

Game 2: When your team is searching for answers, sometimes you have to turn to your best player. Unguardable, who opted to switch builds prior to this contest, drained a game-winning 3-pointer to propel Orlando to a 22-20 win over Philadelphia.

Magic Gaming’s All-Star floor general recorded a contest-best 15 points.

“The inside-out playmaker (build) gives much better scoring around the rim,” said Edwards. “I thought it might give us the opportunity to get some free points in a series where we weren’t able to score the ball on the perimeter well. We were getting open shots, we were getting to our spots, but we weren’t able to knock them down effectively. Instead of beating our heads against a wall against a team that we can get a bunch of stops against, we thought let’s get Josh on a build where he can dunk it when he needs to. That’s what we did and it showed that it was helpful.”

Game 3: It took until the third game of the series, but Orlando finally found its offensive groove against a staunch Philadelphia defense. Power forward Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano notched 11 points, four rebounds and three assists to lift Magic Gaming to a 22-12 triumph.

Jboolin scored seven, while unguardable tallied four points and six assists.

Game 4: The best way to fuel a struggling offense is through your defense. Orlando forced five Philadelphia turnovers in a 22-14 series-clinching triumph.

Unguardable fired off 13 points, while LowkeyGodlike added seven.

EARLIER IN THE NIGHT: Magic Gaming Falls to Gen.G in Upper Bracket Semifinals

Game 1: Throughout this 2KL 3v3 season, strong starts and Magic Gaming have been synonymous. That trend continued in the series opener as Orlando cruised to a 22-11 victory over Gen.G.

Magic Gaming point guard and league MVP candidate unguardable was sensational. He went a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, including 4-for-4 from deep, on his way to a contest-best 16 points. Orlando opened the outing on a 7-0 run.

Game 2: Magic Gaming had their chances to pull off a thrilling comeback triumph, but instead came up just short in a 24-20 defeat to Gen.G.

Tigers point guard Jaiden “gallow” Frank poured in a game-high 17 points.

LowkeyGodlike led Orlando with 12 points. Unguardable added eight, but had three turnovers.

Game 3: Gallow’s torrid pace carried over into this one as he scored a series-best 21 points to push Gen.G past Magic Gaming 23-18. Gallow was a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor.

Unguardable posted 10 points for Orlando.

Game 4: Despite having multiple chances down the stretch to close out the contest, Magic Gaming was unable to convert and dropped the series with a 22-19 defeat.

Gen.G’s offense once again revolved around Gallow, who knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer and finished with 20 points.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will face Bucks Gaming on Saturday in the lower bracket semifinals at 3:45 p.m. ET. If they were to advance, they would then face the loser of Lakers Gaming and Gen.G in the lower bracket finals. The winner of that matchup would then advance to the championship match where it would take two straight series victories to leave with the 3v3 title.

“Of course, we’ll have to score the ball at a more effective rate,” said Edwards. “But it’s going to be more about the energy we bring towards the game, even in the first game versus Milwaukee.”

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Advances to Lower Bracket Semifinals with Win Over 76ers GC appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Magic Gaming Storms Past Heat Check Gaming to Reach 2KL Playoff Semifinals

# results[].description
The Lead: For the first time in franchise history, Magic Gaming was the higher seed in a postseason matchup. After reaching the championship finale in both NBA 2K League regular season tournaments and winning a title in one of them, Orlando earned the second seed in the 3v3 playoffs and a first-round bye. Magic Gaming made sure to capitalize on that opportunity as they rolled past Heat Check Gaming on Thursday to advance to the 2KL’s upper bracket semifinals.
“It’s a massive opportunity to be the (second highest seed) and we’re certainly not taking it for granted,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We understand the value of having the first ball in three of the five games in a series. We’re the big, bad wolf out here right now, and we’re really hot. We haven’t lost a single series since (Joshua “unguardable” Hunter) changed his build … We’re as good of a contender as anyone.” Game 1: In playoff basketball, it’s essential to come out strong and set the tone of a series. For Magic Gaming, that’s been a strength of their squad all season long. That trend continued in their playoff opener as they rolled to a 22-12 victory over Heat Check Gaming. “We felt like it was a huge, huge thing to start out strong,” said Edwards. “We jumped out at them right away.” Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares went a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor on his way to 10 points, while unguardable scored nine. Game 2: While the series opener was a rout, the second contest of this matchup was a back-and-forth battle. Unfortunately for Orlando, Miami came out on top 21-18. Heat Check Gaming center Deondrick “DTrick” Morris tallied 12 points and five rebounds. Jboolin led Orlando with 11 points. Game 3: Magic Gaming has been a resilient squad all season. That was evident in this one as Orlando rallied back from an early deficit to emerge with a 23-13 victory. Magic Gaming closed the contest on a 16-2 run. Unguardable notched nine points, four assists, and two steals. Power forward Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano and Jboolin each scored seven. Game 4: One of the best aspects of Magic Gaming is that they have three players who are all capable of knocking down a game-winning shot. With Miami’s defense scrambling to cover Orlando’s weapons, unguardable found an open LowkeyGodlike who drained the series-clinching 3-pointer in a 21-18 triumph. “Of all the guys to leave, he’s the last one I’m leaving,” said Edwards. “That was the perfect ending.” Unguardable poured in a team-high 10 points, while LowkeyGodlike finished with seven. UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will face the Gen G. Tigers of Shanghai on Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET in the upper bracket semifinals. HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

# results[].headline
Magic Gaming Storms Past Heat Check Gaming to Reach 2KL Playoff Semifinals

# results[].content
The Lead: For the first time in franchise history, Magic Gaming was the higher seed in a postseason matchup. After reaching the championship finale in both NBA 2K League regular season tournaments and winning a title in one of them, Orlando earned the second seed in the 3v3 playoffs and a first-round bye. Magic Gaming made sure to capitalize on that opportunity as they rolled past Heat Check Gaming on Thursday to advance to the 2KL’s upper bracket semifinals.

“It’s a massive opportunity to be the (second highest seed) and we’re certainly not taking it for granted,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “We understand the value of having the first ball in three of the five games in a series. We’re the big, bad wolf out here right now, and we’re really hot. We haven’t lost a single series since (Joshua “unguardable” Hunter) changed his build … We’re as good of a contender as anyone.”

Game 1: In playoff basketball, it’s essential to come out strong and set the tone of a series. For Magic Gaming, that’s been a strength of their squad all season long. That trend continued in their playoff opener as they rolled to a 22-12 victory over Heat Check Gaming.

“We felt like it was a huge, huge thing to start out strong,” said Edwards. “We jumped out at them right away.”

Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares went a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor on his way to 10 points, while unguardable scored nine.

Game 2: While the series opener was a rout, the second contest of this matchup was a back-and-forth battle. Unfortunately for Orlando, Miami came out on top 21-18.

Heat Check Gaming center Deondrick “DTrick” Morris tallied 12 points and five rebounds.

Jboolin led Orlando with 11 points.

Game 3: Magic Gaming has been a resilient squad all season. That was evident in this one as Orlando rallied back from an early deficit to emerge with a 23-13 victory.

Magic Gaming closed the contest on a 16-2 run.

Unguardable notched nine points, four assists, and two steals. Power forward Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano and Jboolin each scored seven.

Game 4: One of the best aspects of Magic Gaming is that they have three players who are all capable of knocking down a game-winning shot. With Miami’s defense scrambling to cover Orlando’s weapons, unguardable found an open LowkeyGodlike who drained the series-clinching 3-pointer in a 21-18 triumph.

“Of all the guys to leave, he’s the last one I’m leaving,” said Edwards. “That was the perfect ending.”

Unguardable poured in a team-high 10 points, while LowkeyGodlike finished with seven.

UP NEXT: Magic Gaming will face the Gen G. Tigers of Shanghai on Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET in the upper bracket semifinals.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The post Magic Gaming Storms Past Heat Check Gaming to Reach 2KL Playoff Semifinals appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
7 Brew Named Official Coffee Partner of Magic Gaming

# results[].description
7 Brew will be featured on official Magic Gaming jersey
ORLANDO — Magic Gaming announce its official partnership with 7 Brew, making 7 Brew the official coffee partner of the team.

As part of the partnership, 7 Brew will have their logo featured on official Magic Gaming jerseys, joining the existing jersey patch partners AdventHealth and leAD Lake Nona.

“Magic Gaming is thrilled to announce this partnership with 7 Brew,” said Magic Gaming Business Operations Manager Gabriel Causse. “We are proud to partner with a company who acts with kindness and shares our commitment to community.”

While helping to expand the 7 Brew brand, the partnership will also produce co-branded gear for fans and be featured on Magic Gaming’s social channels.

In line with 7 Brew’s motto of ‘Cultivating Kindness,’ they aim to be a part of the communities they serve and create opportunities that have a lasting impact. With help from the Magic Gaming players, they will deliver 7 Brew beverages to local AdventHealth hospital workers.

“When presented the opportunity to become a partner with Magic Gaming and meeting their team, there was no doubt that this would be an ideal match,” said Director of 7 Venture Inc. Katelyn Dowse. “There has been a rising popularity in the gaming world and it's constantly advancing with new technology, which is similar to the growth that 7 Brew has been having as an up-and-coming brand. To be a part of this movement is exciting, and we look forward to seeing this partnership come to life.”

7 Brew, established in 2017, is a coffee brand that started in Rogers, Ark. with their seven original coffee flavors. Their goal is to revolutionize the drive-thru coffee experience through kindness and human connections. They have now expanded to over 200 drive thru coffee stands, including 15 locations in Florida and three in Central Florida.

Magic Gaming has clinched a 3v3 NBA 2K League Playoffs berth, finishing second in the standings with 230 points and earning a first-round bye. During the 3v3 regular season, Magic Gaming won the 2024 SWITCH OPEN, the first banner title in franchise history, and point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter won SWITCH OPEN MVP. The NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs began on Wednesday, April 24, and Magic Gaming will face Heat Check Gaming on Thursday, April 25 at 6:45 p.m.

The NBA 2K League season is separated into 3v3 and 5v5 halves. The 3v3 portion of the season began with the NBA2KL 3v3 SLAM OPEN on Feb. 28 and will finish on Saturday, April 27 with the NBA2KL 3v3 Finals. The 5v5 competition tips off on Wednesday, May 8 with THE TIPOFF and will culminate with the NBA2KL 5v5 Finals on Saturday, June 29.

About 7 Brew

7 Brew is a rapidly growing coffee brand that is revolutionizing how customers experience drive-thru coffee service and think about their daily energy boost. 7 Brew serves espresso-based coffee, chillers, teas, 7 Energy, sodas, and more, all with an extra boost of kindness from their team. The dream of 7 Brew came alive with the first “stand” in Rogers, AR, and its seven original coffees. Now, 7 Brew boasts more than 200 stands across the country. For more information, visit www.7brew.com and follow 7 Brew on Instagram (@7brewcoffee), TikTok (@7brewcoffee), Facebook (facebook.com/7brewcoffee) and Twitter (@7BrewCoffee).

About Magic Gaming

Magic Gaming, based in Orlando, Fla., is one of 25 teams competing in the NBA 2K League entering its seventh season. The NBA 2K League is a professional esports league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., which began play in May 2018. The league features the best 125 NBA 2K players in the world. Magic Gaming’s five-man roster competes as unique characters in 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 play against the other teams in a mix of regular-season games, tournaments and playoffs. Follow Magic Gaming on Twitch – OrlandoMagicGaming, Instagram/Twitter - @MagicGaming, Facebook/Magic Gaming or at www.MagicGaming.nba.com.

# results[].headline
7 Brew Named Official Coffee Partner of Magic Gaming

# results[].content
7 Brew will be featured on official Magic Gaming jersey

ORLANDO — Magic Gaming announce its official partnership with 7 Brew, making 7 Brew the official coffee partner of the team.

As part of the partnership, 7 Brew will have their logo featured on official Magic Gaming jerseys, joining the existing jersey patch partners AdventHealth and leAD Lake Nona.

“Magic Gaming is thrilled to announce this partnership with 7 Brew,” said Magic Gaming Business Operations Manager Gabriel Causse. “We are proud to partner with a company who acts with kindness and shares our commitment to community.”

While helping to expand the 7 Brew brand, the partnership will also produce co-branded gear for fans and be featured on Magic Gaming’s social channels.

In line with 7 Brew’s motto of ‘Cultivating Kindness,’ they aim to be a part of the communities they serve and create opportunities that have a lasting impact. With help from the Magic Gaming players, they will deliver 7 Brew beverages to local AdventHealth hospital workers.

“When presented the opportunity to become a partner with Magic Gaming and meeting their team, there was no doubt that this would be an ideal match,” said Director of 7 Venture Inc. Katelyn Dowse. “There has been a rising popularity in the gaming world and it’s constantly advancing with new technology, which is similar to the growth that 7 Brew has been having as an up-and-coming brand. To be a part of this movement is exciting, and we look forward to seeing this partnership come to life.”

7 Brew, established in 2017, is a coffee brand that started in Rogers, Ark. with their seven original coffee flavors. Their goal is to revolutionize the drive-thru coffee experience through kindness and human connections. They have now expanded to over 200 drive thru coffee stands, including 15 locations in Florida and three in Central Florida.

Magic Gaming has clinched a 3v3 NBA 2K League Playoffs berth, finishing second in the standings with 230 points and earning a first-round bye. During the 3v3 regular season, Magic Gaming won the 2024 SWITCH OPEN, the first banner title in franchise history, and point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter won SWITCH OPEN MVP. The NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs began on Wednesday, April 24, and Magic Gaming will face Heat Check Gaming on Thursday, April 25 at 6:45 p.m.

The NBA 2K League season is separated into 3v3 and 5v5 halves. The 3v3 portion of the season began with the NBA2KL 3v3 SLAM OPEN on Feb. 28 and will finish on Saturday, April 27 with the NBA2KL 3v3 Finals. The 5v5 competition tips off on Wednesday, May 8 with THE TIPOFF and will culminate with the NBA2KL 5v5 Finals on Saturday, June 29.

About 7 Brew

7 Brew is a rapidly growing coffee brand that is revolutionizing how customers experience drive-thru coffee service and think about their daily energy boost. 7 Brew serves espresso-based coffee, chillers, teas, 7 Energy, sodas, and more, all with an extra boost of kindness from their team. The dream of 7 Brew came alive with the first “stand” in Rogers, AR, and its seven original coffees. Now, 7 Brew boasts more than 200 stands across the country. For more information, visit www.7brew.com and follow 7 Brew on Instagram (@7brewcoffee), TikTok (@7brewcoffee), Facebook (facebook.com/7brewcoffee) and Twitter (@7BrewCoffee).

About Magic Gaming

Magic Gaming, based in Orlando, Fla., is one of 25 teams competing in the NBA 2K League entering its seventh season. The NBA 2K League is a professional esports league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., which began play in May 2018. The league features the best 125 NBA 2K players in the world. Magic Gaming’s five-man roster competes as unique characters in 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 play against the other teams in a mix of regular-season games, tournaments and playoffs. Follow Magic Gaming on Twitch – OrlandoMagicGaming, Instagram/Twitter – @MagicGaming, Facebook/Magic Gaming or at www.MagicGaming.nba.com.

The post 7 Brew Named Official Coffee Partner of Magic Gaming appeared first on Magic Gaming.

# results[].title
Believe in Magic Gaming! Orlando Defeats T-Wolves Gaming to Claim SWITCH OPEN Championship

# results[].description
The Lead: Do you believe in Magic Gaming? If you didn’t, you do now. Orlando completed a historic NBA 2K League SWITCH OPEN 3v3 tournament run by sweeping T-Wolves Gaming in the championship match to earn its second banner title in team history and its first championship with a pool containing every squad in the league.
“It’s a great feeling to win for the Magic,” said Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter, who was named the tournament MVP. “Being able to win for the Magic has always been a goal of mine since I got here, and we finally got the job done. It was long overdue for (Magic Gaming general manager and head coach) Jonah Edwards. He puts in more work than any coach in the league. I’m happy he finally got it and can say we won something.”
In the process, Magic Gaming also secured the No. 2 seed in the 2KL 3v3 playoffs, earned a first-round bye, and claimed a $30,000 prize pool to be split amongst the team.
“I truly believe that the Orlando Magic are one of the best organizations in all of sports,” Edwards said. “We are an organization that deserves to win. It means the world to me to be in this position and it’s incredibly humbling … It’s so awesome to win for them as much as anything else.” Game 1: If you’ve been paying attention to Magic Gaming’s SWITCH OPEN run, you know that starting hot is a one of the main staples of this squad. Orlando kept that trend alive as it rolled to a 22-16 win over T-Wolves Gaming in the opener. Unguardable went a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from downtown, on his way to a game-high 13 points. Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares scored five, while big man Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano added four points and four rebounds. “That’s a big point of emphasis for us,” said unguardable of his team’s hot start. “That was our plan going in.”
Game 2: T-Wolves Gaming point guard Damian “tutak” Tutak, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA 2K League Draft, was on a torrid pace heading into the championship finals. However, that was before he ran into Magic Gaming rookie lockdown defender Jboolin, who just so happened to play with tutak in predraft competition. Jboolin, who was picked third overall, not only led Orlando with nine points but he held  tutak to five points on a dismal 2-for-6 shooting performance in Magic Gaming’s 23-14 Game 2 victory.
“It definitely adds a lot to my confidence (to have a game like that),” said Jboolin. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now. A rookie winning a banner. Getting stops and scoring on the other end, all in the same game. That definitely just adds more fuel to the fire.” Game 3: Orlando’s mindset in this series was simply to show no mercy. Magic Gaming made quick work of T-Wolves Gaming, surging to a 23-8 triumph to complete a sweep of Minnesota and claim the SWITCH OPEN title. “We knew we were the better team, we just had to just lock in and trust each other,” said LowkeyGodlike, who has now claimed three of the last four 2KL 3v3 titles. “(We did that) and we won.” MVP: Unguardable has earned a lot of hardware over the course of his career. He’s been named to the 2KL’s All-Rookie team, he’s been the All-Star Game MVP in both game modes, and he’s claimed the STEAL OPEN banner and MVP award. But earning a SWITCH OPEN title and MVP, he feels, is his best accomplishment to date.
“Amongst the hardware I have in the league, this would be No. 1,” unguardable explained. “This is my first banner title with every team in it and my first MVP (of a tournament with all the teams) in it. This hits a little different. This would be No. 1 amongst the accolades that I’ve accomplished in this league.”

# results[].headline
Believe in Magic Gaming! Orlando Defeats T-Wolves Gaming to Claim SWITCH OPEN Championship

# results[].content
The Lead: Do you believe in Magic Gaming? If you didn’t, you do now. Orlando completed a historic NBA 2K League SWITCH OPEN 3v3 tournament run by sweeping T-Wolves Gaming in the championship match to earn its second banner title in team history and its first championship with a pool containing every squad in the league.

“It’s a great feeling to win for the Magic,” said Magic Gaming point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter, who was named the tournament MVP. “Being able to win for the Magic has always been a goal of mine since I got here, and we finally got the job done. It was long overdue for (Magic Gaming general manager and head coach) Jonah Edwards. He puts in more work than any coach in the league. I’m happy he finally got it and can say we won something.”

In the process, Magic Gaming also secured the No. 2 seed in the 2KL 3v3 playoffs, earned a first-round bye, and claimed a $30,000 prize pool to be split amongst the team.

“I truly believe that the Orlando Magic are one of the best organizations in all of sports,” Edwards said. “We are an organization that deserves to win. It means the world to me to be in this position and it’s incredibly humbling … It’s so awesome to win for them as much as anything else.”

Game 1: If you’ve been paying attention to Magic Gaming’s SWITCH OPEN run, you know that starting hot is a one of the main staples of this squad. Orlando kept that trend alive as it rolled to a 22-16 win over T-Wolves Gaming in the opener.

Unguardable went a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from downtown, on his way to a game-high 13 points. Small forward Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares scored five, while big man Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano added four points and four rebounds.

“That’s a big point of emphasis for us,” said unguardable of his team’s hot start. “That was our plan going in.”

Game 2: T-Wolves Gaming point guard Damian “tutak” Tutak, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA 2K League Draft, was on a torrid pace heading into the championship finals. However, that was before he ran into Magic Gaming rookie lockdown defender Jboolin, who just so happened to play with tutak in predraft competition. Jboolin, who was picked third overall, not only led Orlando with nine points but he held  tutak to five points on a dismal 2-for-6 shooting performance in Magic Gaming’s 23-14 Game 2 victory.

“It definitely adds a lot to my confidence (to have a game like that),” said Jboolin. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now. A rookie winning a banner. Getting stops and scoring on the other end, all in the same game. That definitely just adds more fuel to the fire.”

Game 3: Orlando’s mindset in this series was simply to show no mercy. Magic Gaming made quick work of T-Wolves Gaming, surging to a 23-8 triumph to complete a sweep of Minnesota and claim the SWITCH OPEN title.

“We knew we were the better team, we just had to just lock in and trust each other,” said LowkeyGodlike, who has now claimed three of the last four 2KL 3v3 titles. “(We did that) and we won.”

MVP: Unguardable has earned a lot of hardware over the course of his career. He’s been named to the 2KL’s All-Rookie team, he’s been the All-Star Game MVP in both game modes, and he’s claimed the STEAL OPEN banner and MVP award. But earning a SWITCH OPEN title and MVP, he feels, is his best accomplishment to date.

“Amongst the hardware I have in the league, this would be No. 1,” unguardable explained. “This is my first banner title with every team in it and my first MVP (of a tournament with all the teams) in it. This hits a little different. This would be No. 1 amongst the accolades that I’ve accomplished in this league.”

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