Cole Anthony and the Orlando Magic overcame the Philadelphia 76ers 104-99 at the Kia Center on Sunday. Anthony led the Magic to victory, finishing with 27 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Following the game, Cole Anthony spoke to the Magic broadcast team in a postgame interview and was naked about the adjustments he made to his shooting. He humorously explained how he got out of his shooting slump, comparing the basketball to a woman, by “talking to her nicely.”
“You see, with women, you can’t always be aggressive,” Anthony said. “Sometimes you gotta talk to them nicely, and I wasn’t talking nicely enough to ‘Mrs. Wilson’ (the ball). I started trying to be nicer to her, and she started reciprocating her feelings right back to me. Shout out to her.”
Asked how he found his rhythm, Cole Anthony said, “You see with women, sometimes you gotta talk to them nicely. I wasn’t talking nicely enough to Mrs. Wilson. I started trying to be nicer to her, and she started reciprocating her feelings right back to me.” 😭 pic.twitter.com/nfqWvjfrk6
— Magic on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Magic) January 13, 2025
Putting the jokes aside, Cole Anthony said that he felt things started to change when he started seeing the ball sink through the hoop.
Cole Anthony stepped up for understaffed Magic
Considering the Magic’s injured list, with Jason Suggs out with a strained lower back, Cole Anthony pulled through for the team and has now played in five straight games scoring in double figures.
Cole Anthony received backup from Paolo Banchero, who played his second game back after being sidelined by a torn oblique. Banchero scored 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Jonathan Isaac also played a key role in the Magic’s win, tallying a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Tristan Da Silva subbed out of the game early due to illness, playing only 61 seconds before Cole Anthony Black filled in for him. Black finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
On the other side of the court, Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 29 points. Paul George tallied 25 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists before committing his sixth foul, sending him out of the game with 2:49 left and the Sixers leading 94-91. Unfortunately for the Sixers, that three-point lead turned into a five-point loss.
Last Sunday’s game marked the Magic’s 23rd win of the season, but it was also their fourth win in their last 10 games. They are still ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, ahead of the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, Philadelphia sits at 11th place.
For their next games, the 76ers will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, while the Magic will visit the Bucks on Tuesday.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
