NEW DELHI: With injured center Wendell Carter Jr. out for several weeks, the Orlando Magic will need to adjust to his absence. They have been among the league’s best defensive teams thus far this season, so their defensive priority hasn’t altered. On Monday, when they play the visiting Dallas Mavericks, they will need to continue playing excellent defense.

With their 124-118 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, Dallas raised their record to 5-1.Grant Williams added eighteen points, Dereck Lively II had fifteen points and fourteen rebounds, and Luka Doncic scored twenty-three points.
Carter suffered a third metacarpal fracture in his left hand during a victory over the Utah Jazz, and Orlando will be without him for the second straight game. It will be about three weeks until his next evaluation. Carter has been leading the Magic, who have won two straight, with an average of 9.4 points and 8.6 rebounds. Orlando presently leads the league in steals per game (9.8) and has the second-best defensive rating (103.5) in the league.
Joel Mosley, the Magic’s coach, highlighted the team’s defensive philosophy by saying, “Our men know it, and I want everyone to know it.” First, we’re going to be a defensive unit. Regardless of whether we’re hitting or missing, we should sit down and guard. You will have to see us with caution. And to give ourselves a shot, that’s who this team needs to be every night.”

With an average of 121.3 points per game, Dallas is the fourth-best scoring team in the league and will be Orlando’s opponent. It’s no surprise to coach Jason Kidd that the Mavericks have performed admirably in the fourth quarter of their victories this season.
Kidd said, “It’s simple when you have 11 (Kyrie Irving) and 77 (Doncic).We’ve practiced end-of-game scenarios a lot, and everyone is at ease.”

Lively put on another impressive display for the Mavericks on Sunday, recording his second double-double of the early campaign. In his first six games with Dallas, Williams has shot 56 percent (23 of 41) from three-point range, demonstrating strong play.
Kidd said, “We’re still getting to know each other as a team because we have a lot of new people on it. However, I believe that we’re moving in the correct direction when you consider our focus and late-game execution.”
Even with Carter out, Dallas will take on a strong Orlando front line on Monday. In Saturday’s 120-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Goga Bitadze started in place of Carter and finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. Off the bench, center Moe Wagner will be crucial as well.
Bitadze and Wagner received high marks from Mosley, who stated, “They both have excellent basketball IQs and feel for the game. That we have players out there that get the principles of what we want to do is crucial as we keep playing with various lineups.”
Both Gary Harris (groin) and Markelle Fultz (knee), who are both classified as day-to-day, are being monitored by the Magic. On Sunday, reports suggested Harris will probably miss the game. In his debut start against the Lakers, rookie guard Anthony Black scored 11 points in 30 minutes.
(Combined with Reuters)