Shabazz Napier’s game-winning 3-pointer saves Magic’s inconsistencies
Wins have to matter at some point. In that sense Shabazz Napier‘s game-winner for the Orlando Magic was a big moment. But there is still work to do.
97. 110. 100. 38. Final
At some point it has got to be about winning right?
At some point it does not quite matter how you get there, just as long as you end up on the right side of the ledger at the end, right?
That point is not now. This is October. And wins are nice at this stage of the game and it is never a bad thing to win, but how you get there matters as a team tries to form habits and a mentality.
And so the Magic’s second preseason game provided a mix of good — a 100-97 win over the Heat at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., on Wednesday most among them — and plenty to work and improve on as they continue through the preseason.
| Score | Off. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 100 | 102.5 | 52.6 | 22.2 | 19.5 | 31.6 |
| Miami | 97 | 101.3 | 50.0 | 33.3 | 23.0 | 55.9 |
Evan Fournier (ORL) — 18 pts.; Nikola Vucevic (ORL) — 17 pts., 8 rebs.
Chris Bosh (MIA) — 18 pts.; Dwyane Wade (MIA) — 9 pts., 6 assts.
The Magic held off the Heat’s rally from a 14-point third-quarter deficit, finally putting the game away on Shabazz Napier’s 3-pointer with three seconds left. That drama was only set up when Melvin Ejim hit a 3-pointer on the previous possession to tie the game at 97.
That is how you feel good with winning the game. Something that will matter in time. However Scott Skiles will have plenty he will want his team to look at and improve upon.
Most of all will be a second lackluster start to a half. The Magic trailed 11-0 out of the gate, facing many of the same struggles they did in the second half of Saturday’s preseason opener. To have those two efforts come back to back certainly must have frustrated Skiles.
Orlando did fight its way back into the game by the end of the quarter and that start could have been largely forgotten. The Heat turned the ball over — 16 of their 22 turnovers came in the first half. The Magic also started getting hot and got good contributions from players returning to the lineup.
Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier each made their preseason debuts and both knocked off the rust and had solid performances.
Vucevic scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 22:52 of play. He started off poorly but knocked off the rust and started hitting shots at a solid rate. He showed his ability to step out and hit jumpers as well as his solid work around the glass.
Fournier was a big boost throughout the game too. He finished with 18 points, making three of his seven 3-point attempts. Fournier scored several baskets in the fourth quarter as the Magic tried desperately to keep their lead.
As bad as that first quarter was, the Magic’s third quarter was just as good. It will be a positive point for the coaching staff to point to. Victor Oladipo hit a few jumpers early in the quarter to get the offense going and the Magic got to the foul line as preseason sloppiness seemed to take over. Oladipo finished with 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting in another efficient scoring performance.
The Magic though held the Heat to less than 30 percent shooting in the third quarter, forcing more turnovers and getting stops. The third quarter is the kind of quarter the Magic want to see.
It did not last though.
Miami got angry after Gerald Green picked up a technical foul following his fifth foul and the team stormed back. A quick 10-0 run with Green hitting a 3-pointer, Josh McRoberts providing good energy and shooting and Justise Winslow making a long-distance shot, brought Miami back into the game. Orlando was unable to stem the tide with really only Evan Fournier able to hit shots to keep them at bay.
That will be a point of emphasis for the Magic as they continue to learn how to win games. Orlando, no matter who is in, has to put teams away.
For the second preseason game, it was good to get the win. That will leave some satisfaction. But there is certainly plenty more to be desired, as you would expect for the second preseason game.
Wins have to count for something at some point, right? This could certainly be considered a halfway decent start.