Who would you want taking a jumper late in a game? What lineup would you want out on the floor for the Magic to erase a 23-point deficit? Who would you expect to get a big offensive rebound to break a tie and deliver the Magic the lead late in the game?
Your answers to all these questions were probably the wrong answers Friday night.
Opportunity came for the Magic and they were the ones to snatch it in the most shocking, unlikely way possible.
Orlando’s 23-point comeback in the second half of the team’s 105-100 win over Charlotte at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday night was punctuated by the seemingly impossible, or at least the very unlikely.
| Score | Off. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
| Orlando | 105 | 107.1 | 50.0 | 14.6 | 7.7 | 39.0 |
| Charlotte | 100 | 105.7 | 50.0 | 21.3 | 6.7 | 16.5 |
Elfrid Payton led the way for the Magic in the fourth quarter comeback, draining a floater and a couple jumpers on his way to 16 points, most in the fourth quarter. He was actually looking to score.
He missed two free throws with the game tied however but Willie Green of all people came flying in from the wing, running past Kemba Walker going in to box out Payton at the line. The ball fell perfectly and Green layed it in. The Magic got a block from Nikola Vucevic on Al Jefferson on the other end and iced the game at the foul line.
Chipping away at that lead was the former Bobcat, Ben Gordon. Ice water running through his veins, he would not entertain the #RevengeGame storyline afterward. He just put in his work, helping the Magic break free from the cold shooting and slowly cut into the lead. Both he and Evan Fournier began the comeback. It would be Gordon — along with Payton, Green, Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic finishing the job.
In all, the Magic outscored the Hornets 41-21 in the fourth quarter. They shot 71.4 percent from the floor and made three of their five 3-pointers, after starting just 1 for 11. Payton, Gordon and Green played the entire fourth quarter scoring 26 points between the three. That outscored the Hornets in the fourth.
There was really no reason for Jacque Vaughn to take them, or anyone out. He let the whole thing ride. There was nothing lose after the Magic fell behind 23 midway through the third quarter.
Orlando could not hit a shot, were not getting great ball movement and were settling for jumpers. The Hornets were doing the exact opposite. About the only good thing that could be said was the Magic’s ability to get to the foul line.
At the point the Magic were down 23, the team was shooting 37.5 percent from the floor and were just one of eight from beyond the arc. Tobias Harris was 2 for 12 and Nikola Vucevic was 5 for 12, struggling to shed Al Jefferson in the post or establish good position inside against him. Charlotte was shooting 56.9 percent with Al Jefferson scoring 18 of his 24 points in that time.
The teams however were even on points in the paint at 30. Maybe it was truly about making or missing shots.
The final 18 minutes were clearly a different story.
The Magic shot 61.8 percent from the floor and three for eight from beyond the arc. They got to the line for 17 free throw attempts in the final 18 minutes. Tobias Harris turned things around with 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting (showing that flash of efficiency). Ben Gordon started to catch fire and jumpers fell.
The Magic’s defense tightened up despite going smaller yet still dominating the paint. The Magic scored 30 points in the paint in those final 18 minutes to the Hornets’ 14. Orlando became the aggressors and took it to Charlotte. That is what has to happen to make a comeback and force shots to go down.
Making shots goes a long way to winning games. That is something obvious the team should have learned from the last two games.
Defense though is where the money is going to be made for the Magic. Improved defense setting the tone for the offense is how the team is going to ultimately win games. Orlando got itself off the mat and found a way to gut out a win. Another road win at that — four now, the same as all of last year.
That has to be some sort of accomplishment. As much of one as erasing a 23-point deficit and completing the third largest comeback in Magic history. Those are minor things to consider.
This was a win where the Magic found a formula and stuck with it. It does not matter how things got there. The Magic got their win and came closer to finding their identity.
For most of the game, it looked like the Magic would repeat the performance from Wednesday night. Instead the team found the spark it was missing from the unlikeliest sources. That is a sign of . . . well, let’s find out after tomorrow.