Orlando Magic come back in many ways to down Atlanta Hawks

The Orlando Magic have been seemingly lost in the dark for the past two months. For two nights — or most of two nights — they returned in a big way.

It felt like more of the same, right?

Falling behind from the opening tip off by 20 points and having to scratch and claw. Struggling to get the ball in and needing a rescue before turning it over anyway in an important moment. All the same story on repeat.

Except it was not.

Mario Hezonja hit that big 3-pointer to give the Magic a two-point lead. The basketball gods saved the Magic on a ball-don’t-lie split trip to the line for Paul Millsap late.

And then Orlando blew the doors open in overtime. In all the ways no one could expect after watching the last few months of Orlando Magic basketball.

They took it to the Hawks, attacking and frustrating them. The Magic’s defense scrambled and challenged shots, frustrating the Hawks and leaving them looking over their shoulder, pulling back shots.

Orlando was far from perfect. The team had to scratch and claw its way back in. But the Magic found a way to gut out a win.

When Kyle Korver hit a three in overtime to make it a three-point game (on the scoreboard), Evan Fournier had an answer. And the Magic had an answer and confidence late in a game for the first time in who knows how long.

There was a small measure of exuberance. But no measure of relief. That confidence from December was back for the first time in a long time as the Magic won 117-110 at Philips Arena in overtime.

Nikola Vucevic (ORL) — 28 pts., 13 rebs.; Elfrid Payton (ORL) — 20 pts.
Al Horford (ATL) — 27 pts.; Paul Millsap (ATL) — 22 pts., 13 rebs.

The things Orlando had to do to get this win were the things it always had to do — get down and defend.

That defense was not there early in the game as the Magic fell behind by as much as 22 points. It would have to be scramble to get back in the game and it would have to start with defense.

It certainly started in earnest before the Magic picked things up in the second half. To come back, they would have to get stops.

Atlanta still scored 47 points in the second half, but had just 18 in the fourth quarter. The Hawks posted a 93.8 offensive rating in the second half. The Magic became stifling all of a sudden.

Nikola Vucevic was getting contests on Al Horford after Horford ran circles around him in the first half. He was getting Horford off his spot and holding his ground, contesting shots and rotating back quickly on pick and roll defense. That changes everything.

It also changes everything when Vucevic gets his offense going. Orlando was forcing everything to him at late moments, almost to its detriment, but Vucevic kept delivering. He drove past Horford on several occasions, stepped out and hit that jumper and scored on post ups. Horford was clearly frustrated as he kept fouling him in the overtime.

Vucevic had just three points and five field goal attempts at halftime, finishing the game with 28 points and 13 rebounds on 11-for-16 shooting. Vucevic flat-out dominated.

So too did Elfrid Payton. He got his work in defending Jeff Teague after he was unceremoniously pulled early in the game with the Magic falling behind and looking lifeless. Payton has had to rediscover himself and push the pace and the team upward.

He was able to get into the lane much quicker and score. The Hawks were leaving him open and Payton had to make them pay. He did throughout the night, scoring 20 points and dishing out seven assists on 8-for-15 shooting.

The start was so bad, particularly for Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier, any relief would be extremely welcome.

Somehow the Magic recovered. They chipped away again and again. They never quit on the game and found a way.

It started with the energy Jason Smith brought to the game. He made jumpers — something the Magic simply could not do as they missed their first 11 3-pointers in the game — and blocked shots. It sent a shock through the team. Smith finished with 14 points on 7-for-11 shooting.

Wherever Orlando could get production, the team was going to find it. It had to if it wanted any chance to win.

And even when the Hawks saw their lead cut from 13 to seven and then stretch it back out to 12, the Magic kept coming at them. They settled down, found the stops and scored again.

Mario Hezonja missed a 3-pointer with the Magic down that was probably a bit rushed and ill advised. The rookie was just a little too confident.

Next: Orlando Magic need 48-minute efforts

But on the next possession he got a second chance and calmly drained the 3-pointer to give Orlando a one-point lead and seemingly control over the game — only a questionable foul and split free throws sent the game to overtime.

Orlando has not had that kind of recovery since it was competing above .500 in December. For one night, it seemed to find that spirit and energy again. Perhaps we can say the team did that for both nights of this series.

For how much longer they can is going to continue to be the trip. But for these two nights — for much of these two nights — Orlando came back from the dead and came back to the way everyone knows they can play.