Orlando Magic show offensive potential in loss to Oklahoma City Thunder
The Orlando Magic got into a shootout with the Oklahoma City Thunder and nearly prevailed.
The Orlando Magic are not the most loaded offensive team in the league — ranking 25th in the league with a 101.3 offensive rating. But simply watching Orlando’s 117-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, one might not have known.
Orlando has not been lighting it up this season and averages just 99 points per game, but the Magic seem to always keep pace well with the Thunder.
Something about the matchup is just favorable. Oklahoma City seems to bring the best out of Orlando’s offense.
The first time the teams met in Orlando, Victor Oladipo’s play helped carry the Magic into double overtime, before Russell Westbrook was just his typical self and sealed it up for the Thunder.
Tonight, it was Kevin Durant who would bail the Thunder out on a long contested three over Tobias Harris to put the Thunder up three with 0.5 seconds to go.
Though the Magic played the Thunder tough twice this year, both attempts fell a little shy.
But it is encouraging to see the Magic score the way they did tonight. The game became a shootout, and it was unclear at times whether it was poor defense or just some top-notch playmaking that was leading to the procession of made baskets.
Outside of Aaron Gordon (1 of 10) and Elfrid Payton (3 of 11), the rest of the Magic shot 44 of 74 — just less than 60 percent.
Victor Oladipo came up one point shy of tying his career high with 37 points, hitting 13 of 19 from the field and eight of eight from the free-throw line. He showed his true offensive potential, and he was doing damage from all over the court. Oladipo worked the mid-range, took it to the basket and also hit three of five from behind the arc.
The eight free throws attempted are particularly encouraging as getting to the line has been a struggle for Oladipo.
It was a complete offensive game from Oladipo, and fully illustrative of just how good he can be when he plays under control. Oladipo did not look as though he were forcing things as much in this game, and he was patient with letting the offense come to him.
There was also the spot brilliance of Mario Hezonja, who hit two threes in the first quarter, one as the horn sounded. He then came back and hit a deep three before the third quarter buzzer sounded. Hezonja finished the game with 16 points and four assists, admirably helping make some plays as Scott Skiles tried to keep shooters on the court.
Jason Smith did his typical damage in hitting four mid-range jumpers and a three from the corner. Smith does not typically shoot the triple, but it has to be wondered if he could simply extend his range a foot or two and start doing so.
All things said, the Magic received strong offensive performances from most of the team, and that is why they were able to nearly knock off the Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Magic withstood another triple-double by Russell Westbrook (including a career-high 19 rebounds), but in the end were just not quite able to edge out the Thunder.
It was an encouraging performance nevertheless. There could be fault found with Orlando’s defense, but Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook obliterate most teams. The Magic kept all of the Thunder’s supporting players in check, and if not for Serge Ibaka playing his role so well in blocking Victor Oladipo’s look at the rim, the Magic may have prevailed.
The Thunder intelligently played 2-for-1 in the game’s closing moments, though, leaving Durant the opportunity to seal the game up with the improbable three.
The thing is, with Durant and Westbrook, probability tends to go out the window. The Magic played a great game offensively, but when it came down to the wire it was the one-time MVP and four-time scoring champ who shined the brightest.
It was not for a lack of scoring even with some shaky execution at the end. The Magic have struggled mightily on offense all season, but they have had games like these where they just blow the doors open.
Next: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder close out Orlando Magic
Mix in a little defense and make this kind of ball movement and shooting more normal and the Magic can easily pull themselves out of this rut.