Game Recap: Orlando Magic 91, Philadelphia 76ers 89

In a battle between two of the four winless teams remaining in the NBA, the Orlando Magic pulled out a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers 91-89. Tobias Harris hit a huge game winner with no time remaining to give Orlando their first victory of the season. There were some good moments, there were some bad moments, and more importantly, the Magic continued to take a step forward as a young team. For guys like Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon, this was their first win, and that was a great start.

Orlando and Philadelphia got off to a great offensive start. Tony Wroten looked good early, scoring 11 points in the first. Orlando battled back with solid scoring, led by Nikola Vucevic and his eight points. Vucevic looked particularly good, converting on some low post jumpers and hitting a handful of mid-range shots. The second season was the K.J. McDaniels showed off his defensive ability, successfully defending Tobias Harris and Ben Gordon while finishing and flashing his athleticism on the defensive end.

The third quarter saw Philadelphia take a bit of a lead, taking a five to six game lead for most of the quarter before Orlando came back. Channing Frye hit a three, Evan Fournier hit a three, and Tobias Harris got a couple free throws to tie the game going into the fourth quarter. Similar to the fourth quarter, Orlando and Philadelphia went back and forth. Henry Sims hit a huge 18-foot jumper to tie the game at 89. Then, Evan Fournier hit Tobias Harris, coming off the screen, with the ball for a quick catch and shoot.

Here’s some notes…

• That Philadelphia 76ers team is bad, but also fun. Tony Wroten setting up some pick and rolls and attacking the basket with vigor, Nerlens Noel looks like a pogo stick out there, and 2014 second round pick K.J. McDaniels getting a handful of dunks and other athletic plays. The combination of those three with getting the best of unproven young players like Brandon Davies and Henry Sims, and the Sixers are just a bunch of fun.

• Elfrid Payton had a good game. It’s tough to ignore Wroten’s 28 points, but outside of that, he was fantastic. Payton moved the ball well, excelled in the pick and roll, and made a couple of huge defensive plays. The best sequence came into the fourth quarter, where Payton forced an over and back on Tony Wroten, successfully defended Wroten, then beat Henry Sims to a loose ball.

• Tobias Harris worked on the offensive end. With his game-winning jumper, Harris finished with 18 points and eight rebounds on 8-17 shooting. Payton set himself up well, but Harris created his own offense as well, attacking the basket and finishing with a couple jumpers on the perimeter.

• Maurice Harkless was freed. In 17 minutes, Harkless finished with six points, four rebounds, and two steals on 3-4 shooting. I love what he provides overall for this team. Another good defender on the perimeter, Harkless could defend both forward positions and once he finds a chemistry with Payton, I’m curious to see how he finds his three point shot out there. Last season, the results were small, but promising. If he can become a “3 and D” player, then he’ll be perfect for Orlando as a floor spacer and versatile defensive player.

• Jacque Vaughn should mix it up a bit. I want to see some more unconventional lineups with this team. Orlando has a ton of interesting forwards and I would like to see him try some more different combinations. Harkless and Harris, Harris and Gordon, Gordon and Frye, the Magic have some different looks to throw out there, and I think it’s time for him to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Without Victor Oladipo in the backcourt, Vaughn has remained with Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Luke Ridnour and Ben Gordon as his four backcourt players. The frontcourt, though, could use some tinkering outside of the Frye-Vucevic combination.

• The duo of Channing Frye and Nikola Vucevic did a great job overall. Frye (13 points, 11 rebounds, 2-8 from three) spaced the floor and attacked Philadelphia’s big men on the glass. Nikola Vucevic (17 points, five rebounds, three assists) had a good all-around game, shooting well and moving the ball around on the offensive end. The five turnovers is a poor, but when on, Vucevic is Orlando’s best scorer.

Next Game: November 7th vs. Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:00 p.m.