Orlando Magic establishes its base, confidence in OT win

The Orlando Magic are not going to remember an overtime Summer League win three months from now. But their base to build off was established clearly.

Summer League is not the time to care about the results of games. Or even stat lines. Guys are experimenting and learning where they fit into the team. Identities are being put in place with a new coaching staff. It is not a time to look at tangible results.

Wins still feel good though. And they reinforce the positive.

So in many ways, the Magic Blue’s 75-74 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers was very much the first step the team wanted to take even in this relaxed, meaningless setting.

The Magic trailed by five points with about 90 seconds left. They got key stops and made baskets — Aaron Gordon helping provide the finishing touches. They tied the game and gave themselves a chance to win.

Trailing again in the overtime period, Gordon got himself isolated on the wing and took a hurried shot as the shot clock expired. Attracting the majority of the defense’s attention, Gordon’s miss freed up Nnanna Egwu enough to grab the board. He reset it to Elfrid Payton who found Devyn Marble at the top of the key.

Marble had already made several 3-pointers and the defense rotated to him. So the ball found itself rotated to the rookie, Mario Hezonja.

There was that confidence we all heard about. With 12 seconds left, Hezonja made the basket like it was any other and the Magic took the lead for good. Gordon provided one last sealing rebound and that was that.

“One thing we were stressing before the game was we are a young team, you’ve got to find a way to win,” Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin said. “We were down five with about a minute thirty left, no one hung their heads. They came back and kept their composure. That was very encouraging with a young group.”

For the last three years, the Magic seemed to go out of their way to find ways to lose, something that has become tiresome throughout the organization. The tables certainly turned even if it was just Summer League.

But again, the fact a rookie stepped in and stepped up to hit a game-winning shot in a Summer League game is not the main takeaway — although it makes a nice story. Hezonja had a solid, if not spectacular debut of 12 points on 3-for-8 shooting.

The fact Aaron Gordon looked like a man possessed in scoring 22 points and grabbing 18 rebounds while displaying newfound confidence both off the dribble and in his jumper was encouraging but not the most important part of the game.

This was about the new beginnings and the baseline the Magic are starting to establish with this new coaching staff.

“We obviously want to get it started on defense,” Elfrid Payton said. “Both of them are athletic and they can finish in transition. My job is easy, I just got to deliver the ball to them.”

It seems as though it is that easy with all the weapons the Magic have at their disposal. The team jumped out to a 18-4 lead on the back of Gordon’s never-ending energy around the basket and his improved jumper. It also jumped out thanks to a defense that was playing together and in concert. Orlando was focused from the very beginning to make some sort of statement.

It was impressive watching this young group fly around like that.

Of course it could not last. As the veterans on the team know, it is a long game. Aaron Gordon noted afterward he is still trying to have the game slow down at all points for him. The offense decelerated and so did the defensive attention to detail. There is still a lot of learning to do with this team.

The Magic shot just 38.0 percent as a team and committed 18 turnovers. Payton had five of those turnovers, sometimes forcing the play too much or dribbling too much. He also had nine assists, continuing to show his playmaking ability.

“We know what our identity is,” Gordon said. “We are young and athletic and we need to defend.”

That was a refrain that came from Skiles himself in his various media availabilities since hired. The Magic gave up 43.8 percent shooting and 5-for-16 shooting from beyond the arc. More impressively, they committed 16 fouls and gave up only 12 free throw attempts. That is not a small feat in Summer League.

While the team can still learn to keep their foot on the gas, the Magic also established a clear mentality they want to play with. If they are going to get there, they have to continue to put the pressure on defensively when the rest of the roster convenes in September.

For now, the Magic enjoyed a win where a lot of their character was revealed. They did not put their heads down when their 16-point first quarter lead disappeared or when they trailed by five with 90 seconds to go.

They scratched and clawed and found a way to get a result.

That is a good place to start.

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