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Admit it, the NBA Cup clash between the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat felt like a quiet vindication – not loud, not boastful, but a vindication nonetheless.

Give the NBA credit. This is the exact vision the league had in mind when it introduced the in-season tournament: meaningful basketball in November and December, played with urgency, pride, and a sense of consequence, while the gravitational pull of football season threatens to swallow the sports calendar whole.

The Magic’s 117-108 victory in the NBA Cup quarterfinals Tuesday night is a testament to a team and a tournament. The Magic fell behind 15-0 to start the game then came charging back behind new acquisition Desmond Bane’s sizzling three-point shooting and game-high 37 point

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