The term “sophomore slump” is a common phrase in sports, referring to when a young player regresses in their second season after a strong rookie year. So far, that hasn’t been the case for Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva through the first nine games of the season.
Instead, the 6-foot-8 forward has improved his game, becoming sharper from 3-point range, stepping up defensively, and emerging as a reliable reserve for coach Jamahl Mosley. Averaging 11.8 points on 43.9% shooting from distance, along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game before the Magic hosted the Celtics again on Sunday, da Silva had scored the seventh-most points (106) among all sophomores in the league (66) to start the year.
Among the 15 second-year players who have logged at least 175 total minutes, da Silva ranked third-best in 3-point percentage and third in made 3-pointers (18) entering Sunday’s slate of games, according to NBA.com. There is a strong argument that he deserves even more playing time with the Magic.
Despite being seventh in scoring, tied for sixth in total steals (10), and tied for fourth in free throw percentage (shooting 87.5%), da Silva had played the fewest minutes (189) compared to the other 15 sophomores who had cleared the 175-minute mark heading into Sunday.
One area where da Silva has notably improved is his catch-and-shoot ability from beyond the arc. This season, he is shooting 44.2% on an average of 3.8 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game — a significant increase from his 34.1% on 2.7 attempts during his rookie campaign.
After battling the Boston Celtics on Sunday, da Silva and the Magic have a quick turnaround as they prepare to host the Portland Trail Blazers Monday for their only meeting this season.
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### Magic Hosting “Seats for Soldiers” Night
The Orlando Magic and L3Harris Technologies are teaming up for the 22nd consecutive season to present “Seats for Soldiers Night” on Monday, coinciding with Veterans Day on Tuesday.
This event will provide game tickets to more than 1,500 active and retired military personnel and their families, courtesy of the Magic, L3Harris, and season ticket holders who generously donated their seats for the occasion.
The celebration will include veterans, active military members, and families from all branches, including representatives from Patrick Space Force Base, Navy Support Activity Orlando, Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, MacDill Air Force Base, Marine Corps Forces Reserve, and more. Participating service member and veteran-serving organizations include Blue Star Families, Camaraderie Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, State of Hope, and Soldiers’ Angels.
Additionally, the Magic will host two groups in suites: Airmen from the Air Force and service members from the USO.
Fans attending the game will receive “Seats for Soldiers” cheer cards, distributed to the first 5,000 attendees at the Kia Center.
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### Up Next
**Magic vs. Trail Blazers**
**When:** 7 PM, Monday
**Where:** Kia Center
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For more information, contact Jason Beede at [email protected]
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/09/orlando-magic-boston-celtics-portland-trailblazers-nba-kia-center-tristan-dasilva-jamahl-mosley/