Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 95, Miami Heat 92
The Orlando Magic played an undermanned Miami Heat team and welcomed Aaron Gordon back to the lineup in a home preseason win.
The Orlando Magic saw the Miami Heat. Or they saw something resembling the Miami Heat. They had the same jerseys at least.
Miami played without Chris Bosh, Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Amar’e Stoudemire leaving a roster that was devoid of the Heat’s likely starting lineup and few of their rotation players. So everything that occurred Tuesday should be taken with some grains of salt.
Orlando dominated defensively, holding Miami to 38.5 percent shooting for the game. But the Magic could not hit a shot themselves and the game stayed within a relatively tight margin.
Before the Magic’s rotation players left the game, they built a 14-point fourth quarter lead. The Heat though stormed back, leaving some of their better available players in the game.
However, Orlando forced overtime when Nnanna Egwu rebounded a missed Jordan Sibert 3-pointer and Shabazz Napier scored three free throws to give the Magic a six-point lead. Miami missed three 3-point shots to tie the game on the final possession and Orlando won 95-92 at the Amway Center.
B. <p>Aaron Gordon made his much-anticipated debut in a Magic uniform for the 2015 preseason. He definitely showed some signs of rust but was overall a solid contributor to the Magic.</p><p>Defensively, he hounded <strong><a href=. SF. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON
A-. <p><strong><a href=. C. Orlando Magic. DEWAYNE DEDMON
C+. <p>Shabazz Napier became the hero if the results of the game matter. He drew a foul on a 3-pointer late in overtime to make all three of his free throws to give the Magic a six-point lead. Orlando held on from there for the win. He scored 15 points and made six of seven free throws.</p><p>He struggled mightily in the game. He made just 3 of his 10 shots. That is kind of the m.o. on Napier coming to the Magic to begin with. He is a high-volume shooter that is going to be inefficient but can still put up some points on the board when given the chance.</p><p>All three of Napier’s makes were 3-pointers. That remains a valuable skill for the Magic. Napier has to continue working on becoming more efficient and adding more to the team, particularly on defense.</p>. PG. Orlando Magic. SHABAZZ NAPIER
B. <p><strong><a href=. PF. Orlando Magic. CHANNING FRYE
<p>The Miami Heat played with one hand behind their back. They sat most of the players who will be in their starting lineup after Monday’s game against the Spurs. The results showed. They struggled to crack the Magic’s defense and were missing shots left and right.</p><p>Defensively, the Heat did a good job pushing the Magic off their spot and making the Magic be very imprecise and slow on the offensive end. Credit should go to them there.</p><p>The bottom line is, it is difficult to judge too much from the Heat. No one really stood out for the team. Justise Winslo made 4 of 11 shots and <strong><a href=. . . MIAMI HEAT. B