Throughout the course of a best-of-seven playoff sequence, there are sure to be function gamers on both group that assist shift a recreation in some way, even in restricted motion on the court docket.
In Game 3 for Orlando versus Detroit, that was Jamal Cain.
The Magic ahead, who began the common season on a two-way contract earlier than he signed a typical NBA deal to turn out to be playoff eligible, scored seven factors in 14 minutes and added one rebound in opposition to the Pistons.
Those numbers don’t precisely bounce out on a stat sheet, however they go a good distance in a back-and-forth battle resembling Game 3. Timing will also be key.
Take for instance his nook 3-pointer that got here with lower than a minute left in the third quarter and helped the Magic go from up simply eight factors to main by double digits once more.
“It’s just those little things like that, that the guys have trust in him,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned concerning the Michigan native. “They have fun him when he has some success, however he simply does all of the little issues inside a recreation, rebounding, guarding a number of gamers.
“And just does it without saying anything, just (does) what’s necessary to help this team get a win,” the Magic coach added.
While this first-round sequence is Cain’s first time seeing the ground in the playoffs, he’s witnessed success in the postseason in the previous watching from the bench. As a rookie on a two-way contract, Cain was a member of Miami’s 2022-23 squad that reached the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed.
After spending a lot of his first 4 years on a two-way contract with three groups (Miami, New Orleans and Orlando), Cain seems to have discovered his spot with the Magic as a 3-and-D sort prospect who can knock down triples on offense and defend numerous positions on the opposite finish.
During the ultimate 17 video games of the common season, Cain averaged 9 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists whereas capturing 38% from 3-point vary throughout 19.6 minutes per evening.
Magic guard Desmond Bane noticed Cain’s potential as early as over the summer season throughout voluntary exercises earlier than the group even reported for coaching camp.
“I knew he was a rotational player (back) in open gym,” Bane mentioned after shootaround contained in the IntroductionHealth Training Center forward of Monday’s Game 4 in opposition to the Pistons. “Just the way in which he defends, the way in which he’s capable of make open pictures … (He’s) unselfish and performs extraordinarily onerous. Those guys don’t develop on timber.
“So, I knew it was only a matter of time, and in this league when you get your opportunity, you’ve got to be ready,” Bane added. “And he was ready.”
First-round schedule replace
Game 5 on Wednesday between the Magic and Pistons inside Little Caesars Arena will tip off at 7 p.m., the league introduced late Sunday evening.
The recreation will probably be streamed nationally on Amazon’s Prime Video. It will also be heard on Orlando radio station 96.9 The Game.
Jason Beede might be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up subsequent …
Magic at Pistons, Game 5
When: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Little Caesars Arena
TV: Prime Video
