The Magic's New Starting Lineup Is Held Together By Athletic Tape and Vibes

The Orlando Magic are rolling out a starting five on Friday that looks less like an Eastern Conference contender and more like a randomly generated roster at the end of a 2K franchise simulation.

Underdog NBA confirmed Orlando is starting Jase Richardson, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. against the Toronto Raptors.

"Fans noted the lineup is 'held together by tape' with Anthony Black also dealing with a recent ankle sprain."

With Paolo Banchero shelved for four to six weeks thanks to a high-ankle sprain, the Magic are officially in survival mode. Throw in the fact that Black is playing on a recently sprained ankle of his own, and this lineup is currently being held together by athletic tape and blind hope.

Orlando is desperate to stop the bleeding after getting absolutely dismantled by Toronto 129-99 on Wednesday. Desmond Bane is going to have to carry a massive offensive load to keep this team afloat. Bane has averaged around 20 points a night historically, but asking him to carry a battered rotation is a tall order.

For anyone firing up the sportsbooks, Bane's usage rate is about to look like he is playing MyCareer on rookie difficulty. Meanwhile, Jase Richardson getting the starting nod means the Magic are throwing everything at the wall just to find warm bodies who can log minutes.

They get a rematch with the Raptors on Friday night before the Boston Celtics come to town on Sunday. If this makeshift starting five cannot figure out how to generate offense against Toronto, that Boston game is going to require a mandatory viewer discretion warning.