Recharged Magic Gaming Set for Pair of Week 5 NBA 2K League Matchups

ORLANDO – Refreshed and refocused, Magic Gaming heads into week five of the NBA 2K League regular season rejuvenated from a bye week that could not have come at a more opportune time.

After a strong start to their 2021 campaign, Orlando (4-6) has struggled of late, dropping five straight contests.

However, this week offers Magic Gaming an ideal opportunity to right the ship as they take on two teams going through adversity of their own.

Orlando will duel Cavs Legion GC (2-8) in a pair of contests on Thursday, starting at 7 p.m. ET, before battling Hawks Talon GC (5-9) twice on Saturday, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

“We were able to take some time and refocus,” Magic Gaming General Manager and Head Coach Jonah Edwards said. “We’re looking to make the most it this week here.”

Magic Gaming vs. Cavs Legion GC: Orlando will once again go head-to-head with Cleveland, a team that they defeated twice during THE TIPOFF tournament.

Magic Gaming utilized balanced performances to secure those victories as at least three players scored in double figures in both of those outings. Offensively, that will once again be an area of emphasis on Thursday.

“It’s absolutely a focus of ours to get that way,” Edwards said. “Hopefully, we can replicate those performances from TIPOFF.”

Although consistency and defensive lapses have given Cavs Legion GC issues throughout the season, their roster is certainly not devoid of talent. Shooting guard William “Strainer” Morales has established himself as one of the premier sharpshooters in the league this season, knocking down 47.6 percent of his shots from distance, while Albano “oFab” Thomallari has started to look more comfortable since being acquired by Cleveland in an offseason trade with Celtics Crossover Gaming, averaging a team-high 23.7 points per game.

“It’s certainly going to be a handful guarding both of them,” Edwards said. “They both do a good job and they’re both pretty patient and tend to make correct decisions. We’ll see what they have for us.”

Rookies Mario “avemario” Ortega and Devin “DLaw” Lawrence have also made an impact in Cleveland. Avemario is averaging 10.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest, while DLaw has posted 9.5 points and 7.4 boards per game.

Magic Gaming vs. Hawks Talon GC: For an Orlando squad that’s looking to get back to its identity of a defensive oriented and strong rebounding team, it will be put to the test against an offensively explosive Atlanta unit.

Caesar “Ceez” Martinez currently ranks fourth in the league is scoring, pouring in a whopping 28.5 points per contest. Earlier this season, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft erupted for a single-game franchise-record 50 points and, in the process, helped Hawks Talon GC record a season-best 89 points in a victory over Heat Check Gaming.

“Any time Ceez is on the court, his team has a chance to win a game,” Edwards explained. “The kid has been phenomenal to start the year. The team starts and kind of ends with Ceez to a degree because he’s obviously a super high volume, usage-type guard. (He’s) very effective when he’s going.”

While Atlanta has shuffled its lineup amidst a six-game losing skid, Michael “BP” Diaz-Cruz will also be on Orlando’s radar regardless of whether he’s at the shooting guard or small forward position.

“The Hawks team when they’re at their best is actually pretty solid,” Edwards said. “We’re aware that they’re kind of against the ropes right now and they’re going to be hungry to get some wins in the same kind of regard that we are. So, it should be a tough matchup.”

Quote to Note: “Once we’re clicking on all cylinders, we’re one of the best teams in the game,” Daniel “DT” Tlais said. “But the biggest thing is just trying to piece that all together.”

Key Stats: Magic Gaming center Robert “May” May is currently shooting 82.4 percent from the floor this season, the fourth-best mark in the NBA 2K League according to 2KHQ.com. May is averaging 15.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during Orlando’s regular season campaign.

Along with leading Orlando in points (22.9) and assists (10.8) per game, floor general Brendan “Reizey” Hill also ranks among the league leaders in both categories. The former Rookie of the Year is 16th in the association in points per game and fourth in assists per contest.

How to Watch: Games will air live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.