Orlando Magic Grades: San Antonio Spurs 107, Orlando Magic 92

Feb 1, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon (00) shoots the ball as San Antonio Spurs power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon (00) shoots the ball as San Antonio Spurs power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic hung tough and continued to show glimpses of a return, but the San Antonio Spurs did what they do best and broke the Magic down.

38. Final. 107. 29. 92

The Orlando Magic got off to a terrible start. They looked flat footed and frustrated as shots refused to fall and the San Antonio Spurs just ran directly on them.

Orlando found its fight again though. The team began buckling down on defense and communicating and rotating with the kind of precision that had made the team so deadly and dangerous in December. And that got the Magic back in the game.

For about two quarters, the Magic were as engaged and sharp as they have been all year. And that brought out the very best in the Magic.

It was short-lived though. San Antonio got back to its offensive ways and disruptive defense. Orlando’s offense was never going strong enough to sustain a slip on defense as it had early in the game and then ultimately at the end.

There were positives yes, but ultimately the pain of another defeat and an opportunity that was nearly lost from the tip and squandered at the end.

G. Orlando Magic. VICTOR OLADIPO. B. <p><strong><a href=

F. <p><strong><a href=. SG. Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER

B+. <p><strong><a href=. F. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON

NIKOLA VUCEVIC. C. <p><strong><a href=. C.

B-. <p>The San Antonio Spurs are really good. They proved that in how they dismantled the Magic early in the game and then used their bench to do so late in the game. Patty Mills scored 22 points and tore up the Magic’s defense by keeping the dribble alive and just finding the right time to attack. San Antonio does that to teams.</p><p>The Spurs were far from sharp though. The Magic controlled play for the majority of the second and third quarters. They lost that 18-point first-quarter lead and their starters outside of <strong><a href=. 40-8. 2nd West. SAN ANTONIO SPURS