Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 107, New York Knicks 99
The Orlando Magic defeated the New York Knicks 107-99 as the team used every bit of its depth and a red hot Nikola Vucevic to secure victory.
107. 38. Final. 99. 27
The Orlando Magic came up big on a night the team easily could have laid a dud, and that earns high marks for several key performers.
The Magic clicked offensively and received standout games from both Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris.
The bench also came through big in helping Orlando build a lead in the second quarter which it was able to maintain for the rest of the game, though the Knicks would cut it to two points in the second half.
Then came Evan Fournier, who had been having a rather quiet night until he queued a run with a couple clutch jumpers to give Orlando a 100-94 lead with about two minutes to go.
A couple of Knicks turnovers and Magic fast breaks later and the Magic held a 10-point lead with less than a minute. Orlando would hang onto that lead, winning on a night when most (including Vegas oddsmakers) predicted the Magic to fall a little flat.
Coming off of a 103-100 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, the Magic had to rely on its bench a good deal more, but most of that contingent came through before the starters eventually sealed it up in the fourth quarter.
A+. <p>Nikola Vucevic is truly starting to hit full stride. We were beginning to wonder if this would be the year Orlando’s balance took the closest thing it has to an All-Star out of his element. Those fears are quietly fading to oblivion following three straight 20-plus point efforts.</p><p>This one was equally as impressive as his displays against the Portland Trail Blazers just two games ago. Vucevic seemingly could not miss, and the Knicks are not even the horrible defensive frontcourt that the Blazers are. <strong><a href=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC
Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER. B+. <p>Evan Fournier hit 6 of 14 from the floor, but two of those biggest field goals came in the fourth quarter and gave Orlando the needed cushion to comfortably seal it down the stretch.</p><p>Fournier drilled three of his six triples and came up with three of Orlando’s eight steals in the game. Fournier also put the clamps on a hot-shooting <strong><a href=. G/F
A. <p>This was one of Tobias Harris’ best performances of the season because he really did it on both ends of the court. <strong><a href=. F. Orlando Magic. TOBIAS HARRIS
Orlando Magic. MARIO HEZONJA. B. <p><strong><a href=. G
A. <p>This is a game the Magic would have lost last season. There is no way to know that for sure, but it seems like a reasonable proposition.</p><p>Scott Skiles would have none of that and his team did not come out flat on a night when many thought they might. He made good adjustments following the major curveball of Payton’s injury, and his substitutions most of the night made perfect sense.</p><div class=. Coach. Orlando Magic. SCOTT SKILES
The Magic bench all saw increased time as Orlando played 11 players in the game with all seeing double-digit minutes.
Skiles seems to have made a point about getting Vucevic the ball more because when he establishes low position, the guards are frequently making sure he gets the touch. The boon turns out to be reflective as the attention Vucevic drew tonight created a slew of wide open threes that Orlando capitalized well upon.
This game was a great indication of the substantial differences a good coach can make, and the Magic’s execution made Skiles’ plays look like pure genius.
Perhaps this is overly gushing of the first-year coach in Orlando, but the Magic are now 7-7 on the road and four games above .500. That is proving plenty of preseason doubters wrong.
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This is a game the Magic would have lost last season. There is no way to know that for sure, but it seems like a reasonable proposition.
Scott Skiles would have none of that and his team did not come out flat on a night when many thought they might. He made good adjustments following the major curveball of Payton’s injury, and his substitutions most of the night made perfect sense.
The Magic bench all saw increased time as Orlando played 11 players in the game with all seeing double-digit minutes.
Skiles seems to have made a point about getting Vucevic the ball more because when he establishes low position, the guards are frequently making sure he gets the touch. The boon turns out to be reflective as the attention Vucevic drew tonight created a slew of wide open threes that Orlando capitalized well upon.
This game was a great indication of the substantial differences a good coach can make, and the Magic’s execution made Skiles’ plays look like pure genius.
Perhaps this is overly gushing of the first-year coach in Orlando, but the Magic are now 7-7 on the road and four games above .500. That is proving plenty of preseason doubters wrong.