Magicโ Edge Heat in puertoโ Rico, Fueled by Alex Morales‘ Performance
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The orlando Magic defeated the Miami โขHeat 121-114 in a preseason contest played in frontโ of โan excited crowd โขat the Coliseo โขde puerto Rico today,โฃ bolstered by a strong performance from Puerto Rican player Alex Morales. Morales contributed a key block inโค the โคfourth quarter, helping to secure the Magic’s โadvantage in a tightly โcontested game โthat served as โขthe first preparation for both teams ahead of the 2024-2025 NBA season.
Theโ exhibition game, a significant event for basketball fans โin Puerto Rico, showcased competitiveโค play despite โbeing a preseason matchup. The contest highlighted the growing interest in the NBA within the territory and provided a โplatform for โฃemergingโ talents like Morales to shine.The Magic’s victory signals a promising start to โฃtheir preparations, while the Heat will look to refine their strategy before the regular season begins.
Ethan Thompson, also of โคPuerto Rican descent, contributed five โคpoints, three โฃrebounds, and six assists for the Heat. โฃThompson alsoโข scored a three-pointer and wasโ involvedโ in a collisionโค with a teammate, resulting in aโ foul. The โgame โremained closelyโค contested throughout,with theโ Heat briefly regaining the lead with two free throws from Thompson (86-87) โคbeforeโข aโค buzzer-beating three-pointer โby Trevor Keelsโฃ gave Miami a โ93-90 advantageโ at theโ end of the third period.
orlando โultimately turned the โขtide in โtheโฃ fourth quarter. Morales’ crucial block with 1:36 remaining extendedโฃ the Magic’s โคlead to 121-114,effectively sealing theโ victory. โPaolo banchero finished with seven points for the Magic, while Bam Adebayo contributed three points for the Heat. Desmond Bane,aโฃ recent acquisition for โขOrlando,led the team with nine goals.
“It was a great scenario here,โค a โขgreat eventโ and worth returning again,” said Heat head coach Erick Spoelstra followingโ the game.The NBA’s return โto โPuerto Ricoโ generatedโข considerable excitement among localโ fans, whoโ enjoyed the high-level competition and the possibilityโ to witness NBA stars inโค action.