MARKELLE FULTZ

Paolo Banchero's debut was a smashing success and that had nothing to do with the Orlando Magic winning their Summer League opener against the Houston Rockets in Las Vegas on Thursday night.

College basketball season ended almost three months ago, the NBA draft lottery was more than a month ago and the draft itself is later this week.

The Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery and landed the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since they got Dwight Howard nearly two decades ago.

Franz Wagner made three free throws with 12.2 seconds remaining and dunked on an inbounds play for the final points, leading the Orlando Magic to a 94-90 win over the Golden State Warriors.

The Detroit Pistons desperately hope Cade Cunningham is the superstar they have been searching for in their long climb back to being a contender.

The Philadelphia 76ers have to figure out if Ben Simmons can be fixed in the offseason.

The Philadelphia 76ers face an uncertain future after an early exit in the playoffs.

Seth Curry scored 20 points, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers clinched the top seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference with a 122-97 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford has tested positive for the coronavirus and will miss multiple games while going through the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The NBA says the rate of players needing to miss games because of injuries is down from last season and within the normal range for what the league has seen over the last five seasons.

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) fouls Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – LaMelo Ball isn't wasting any time making an impact in the NBA. “I live my life and I know what I’m capable of, so stuff like doesn’t move me like that," Ball said. “I know that's supposed to happen.”Ball replaced Markelle Fultz as the youngest NBA player to record a triple-double by 177 days. He became only the fifth rookie in NBA history to record a triple-double and the first Hornets player to do it coming off the bench.

The team confirmed after the game that Fultz tore his ACL. “It’s a huge blow for us,” said Magic center Nikola Vucevic, whose team also will be without standout forward Jonathan Isaac this season because of an ACL tear. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft as he led the Magic to a quick start this season. Terrence Ross scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Magic, who beat the Cavaliers for a second time in three nights. Collin Sexton scored 21 points for Cleveland, his eighth straight game with at least 20 points to start the season.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)The Miami Heat just wrapped up two consecutive days of practice, which is significant for this reason: It might not happen again for a while. Practice time is something that will be in short supply around the NBA this season; teams are basically playing every other day, and that — along with travel and mandated days off — realistically leaves time for no more than two practices per week. “I think you need to adjust and at least we’re all on an even playing field, so it’s all relative,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Every team in the NBA will have similar practice quandaries, which comes with the territory of having plenty of four-game weeks.

Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots as Washington Wizards forward Isaac Bonga (17) and forward Deni Avdija (9) defend in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Washington. (Geoff Burke/Pool Photo via AP)WASHINGTON – The Orlando Magic beat Washington 130-120 on Saturday night, overcoming another triple-double by Russell Westbrook in his home debut for the Wizards. Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Markelle Fultz added 21 points to help the Magic win its second straight to start the season. ... Two-way rookie guard Cassius Winston (hamstring strain) was inactive but has returned to practice…UP NEXTThe Magic and Wizards will complete their back-to-back in Washington on Sunday. It is the only meeting between the two Southeast division foes in the first half of the NBA schedule release.

Deni Avdija, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, scored 15 points for the Wizards. Danilo Gallinari scored 17 points and De’Andre Hunter added 15 for Atlanta, which made 17 3-pointers. Aaron Gordon scored 15 points and Nikola Vucevic had 14 for Orlando. Alec Burks finished with 15 points for New York, which defeated the Pistons on Friday. Gary Trent Jr. scored 17 points, Derrick Jones Jr. scored 15 and CJ McCollum added 13 for the Trail Blazers.

Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford talks to players during a timeout in the first half of the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. The NBA preseason — a truncated 49-game, nine-day sprint — opened Friday with a five-game slate, action returning to NBA arenas for the first time in exactly nine months. 8 pick Obi Toppin of the Knicks, got their first NBA minutes. Paul George had 10 for the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard managed three in 14 minutes. Both teams shot exactly 30 for 84 from the field, and none of the Clippers' starters logged even 15 minutes.

Williams scored all 12 of his points on 3-pointers, and Brook Lopez added 16 points for Milwaukee, which won four straight after dropping the opener. Nicola Vucevic had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Orlando, while Evan Fournier added 18 points. Middleton followed with a fade from the top of the key, Williams added another 3 and Middleton's free throw pushed the Bucks' lead back to 105-93 with 5:24 left. Orlando stayed close into the second quarter and was within six points when Marvin Williams 3 began a 23-12 Bucks run to end the half. Bucks: Outscored Orlando in the paint, 42-32 and finished with 16 3s on 45 attempts.

Middleton scored 18 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 rebounds after being held to one field goal in the first three quarters on 1-of-9 shooting. Wesley Matthews added 12 points for the Bucks, who can close out the Magic on Wednesday. ... We had to pick up our intensity.Nikola Vucevic continued his strong play for the Magic, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Terrence Ross had 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The top-seeded Bucks led by three entering the fourth quarter before Middleton came alive.