Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley directs his team against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
MINNEAPOLIS – The Orlando Magic fell to a fourth-quarter comeback on Friday night versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing 118-111.
Recap: Despite Banchero’s 43, Wolves dominate 4th quarter to overcome Magic
After the game, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and forwards Caleb Houstan and Paolo Banchero met reporters to discuss the loss.
Here is a partial transcript of their interview sessions and video of each.
“I mean they jumped on us early in that fourth quarter. I think they started off probably 15-3. We just, finishing around the rim, taking some tough ones, allowed them to get out on the break and get some easy baskets. Started knocking some shots down, and we were just playing uphill from there.”
”I mean that’s the league, you know. I think you’re gonna face these situations and you gotta be prepared for them. And I think our guys battled, they fought, they, on the second night of a back-to-back, being able to find a way, you know, guys staying ready. You talk about Caleb Houstan stepping into a big moment, not afraid of the moment, stepping up big, knocking shots down. But, again, give Minnesota a ton of credit for the way they came out in that fourth quarter, being able to get stops early and then getting out running. I think we missed a lot of easy, early looks that allowed them to get on the break. And I’ll go back and look at it and see exactly what those were, but again, for our guys to continue to battle in this situation, on a back-to-back, you gotta tip your hat to our guys, but also to Minnesota for the way in which they came out.”
“It was good. I mean they’re a good team. I think we fought hard. Obviously, they’re a good team. I think we put up a really good fight, had a lot of good moments, just have to play like that for the whole 48.”
“I just felt good. I felt good in my warmup before the game and then my teammates being able to find me. Getting down the lane, then they all collapsed and would be able to find me, so just trying to make open shots.”
“I think we just came up short. We put in a good fight, made some good runs throughout the game, and gave ourselves a chance to win. They just made more plays than we did.”
“I think they just made some big shots and some threes. Had some nice semi transitions where, you know, we had a couple guys still behind the play and they got to the rim, got some threes. We had a couple possessions where we didn’t score.”
The Magic’s road trip concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest against the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on ABC.
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