Magic Gaming Sweeps Hornets Venom GT for In-Person SLAM OPEN Group Play Victory

The Lead: After their latest victory, to a man, Magic Gaming expressed their belief that they’re one of the most gifted 3v3 teams in the NBA 2K League. On Sunday, they put their talent on full display as they went on the road and swept a previously undefeated Hornets Venom GT squad at Spectrum Center in SLAM OPEN group play action.

“It was awesome,” said Magic Gaming general manager and head coach Jonah Edwards. “There was a lot of energy in the room, there were a lot of people around, (and) a lot of noise – it was a little hard to hear each other. I think the team really rose to the occasion, and I think a big part of that was because the games were in person.”

Game 1: Magic Gaming demonstrated in the series opener that the in-person lights were not too bright. Despite allowing Hornets Venom GT to score seven unanswered to open the contest, Orlando rallied back for a thrilling 27-25 victory.

Point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter erupted for a team-high 16 points, including a sensational game-winning 3-pointer.

“We talked about off-ball movement and creating open threes off that going into the series,” said Edwards. “I was just so proud of him for implementing it in the proper way. It was the perfect dose of it and that (three) was a great example … He’s just super aggressive and confident in himself to shoot that shot. Tough shot. Tough player.”

Game 2: In the second contest of the series, Magic Gaming picked up right where they left off. Unguardable fired off a squad-best 12 points as Orlando rolled to a 22-15 win over Charlotte.

Big man Ashton “LowkeyGodlike” Agredano notched six points and two boards, while lockdown Julian “Jboolin” Manzanares tallied four points and three assists.

Game 3: Orlando never allowed Charlotte to gain any momentum in this one as it quickly silenced the 300-plus crowd in attendance in the main lobby at Spectrum Center. LowkeyGodlike had perhaps his best game in a Magic Gaming uniform, posting contest bests in points (12) and rebounds (four) to help Orlando clinch the series with a dominant 23-11 triumph.

“Incredible in-game (communicator); it’s night and day how his personality changes,” said Edwards of LowkeyGodlike. “He’s really, really good there. He’s just so reliable. We’re very, very confident in what he is and what he does for us. That amount of trust makes it really easy to go to him in late-game situations. He’s going to hit those shots. We were thrilled with his play, and really everyone’s play today.”

Quote to Note: “You talk trash to the wrong guy, you poke the bear, and that’s what you get.” – Edwards on unguardable’s response to Hornets Venom GT’s in-person trash talking

Up Next: After a 2-2 showing in group play, Magic Gaming now moves on to bracket play in SLAM OPEN 3v3 tournament action. While its opponent is still to be determined, Orlando will likely tip off bracket play on Thursday.

How to Watch: Fans can watch games live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.