Orlando Magic Daily
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Magic learning to win, and progressing in topping Heat

By Philip Rossman-Reich

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The Orlando Magic got a major victory Monday. It was not simply the one-point win over the Miami Heat, but the way it happened.

Gut-wrenching losses have been the norm for the Magic. Particularly against the Miami Heat.

Frustration at the end of games has been the norm. So too has the frustration of inconsistent offense, particularly late in games. So too has the frustration of things not going the Magic’s way.

There were times when this game looked like all the others the Magic have played this year. The Heat were getting calls as Dwyane Wade put on a barrage in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of the Heat’s 17 points at one point to keep his team in the game and give them control. There was the foul discrepancy — 40 free throws for Miami to 13 for Orlando.

Orlando has had its struggles with body language and staying focused and intent as things collapse around them. They have let iffy calls and missed shots get to them and affect them the next time down the floor.

These are things young teams do. It has been frustrating seeing the same mistakes happen time and time again. When would the learning and growth come?

It may have come on the American Airlines Arena floor Monday night as Orlando walked off with a 101-100 win over Miami.

There the Magic had everything go wrong defensive, giving up 52.4 percent shooting. They seemed to ignore Danny Granger as they struggled to cut off dribble penetration and rotate properly defensively. Granger hit six of seven 3-pointers on the night, including a big one in the fourth quarter to give the Heat a four-point lead. They gave up the aforementioned 40 fouls — on both fouls proper and dubious.

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There was no reciprocation. There was no hanging of heads. There was a gritty determination to keep grinding.

Orlando fed the ball into Nikola Vucevic time and time again, expecting their center to deliver. He did in the form of 26 points and nine rebounds. Vucevic’s success helped the Magic work inside-out and get 3-pointers. The Magic hit 11 of 25 3-pointers, including 8 of 17 in the first half, helping them overcome turnovers and the aforementioned free throw disparity and poor defensive rotations.

This was a close game. It would remain close.

And even when the Heat pulled ahead by 10 points, the Magic found a way. They then turned to Victor Oladipo to finish.

Oladipo has been a sign of the Magic’s inefficiencies late as much as anyone. His turnover late against the Cavaliers when he spun directly into Nikola Vucevic ended the Magic’s hopes for a win (what would have now been their third straight). Instead Oladipo took over and took up the challenge of playing against Dwyane Wade, going bucket for bucket in the final two minutes.

Oladipo kept things simple. Driving hard to the basket with a quick crossover and a quick flip off the glass learned from Jameer Nelson. He went searching for contact and was aggressive. The Magic were the aggressors and finally got the whistle. Oladipo won the game at the foul line, disappointingly splitting the free throws.

That would have been enough on some nights to make the Magic uneasy. The defense remained confident as Oladipo stayed in front of Wade and forced a difficult, challenged fade away for the win. Elfrid Payton came over to challenge and make the shot that much more difficult.

Even though Orlando’s offense seemed to stagnate as they tried to force some one on ones. It started to work. Oladipo was getting to the basket. They even got into a set and got Vucevic the ball int he post (albeit a bit too late). It could not be perfect.

But the Magic got the job done. That is what can be most important. Especially for a young team.

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    • Good teams — and we have to start thinking this Magic team is a “good team,” at least for the Eastern Conference — find ways to win. Here, the Magic did not have their best defensive effort. They were hoisting 3-pointers and making them. They were getting the ball to Vucevic and withstanding the free throw storm coming their way.

    Yet, when the Magic needed to make stops they made them. When Orlando needed a bucket, the team found one.

    Who is to say if this happens again. Orlando has to rally again and pick up another winnable game at home against Detroit on Tuesday. No one is going to roll over. And momentum can stop as quickly as it starts. The next lesson for this young team is consistency — finding ways to win on consecutive nights and on back-to-back nights.

    For this night, however, the Magic did what they needed to do. Exactly what they needed to do.

    And that can be the most encouraging sign of all.