The Orlando Magic were slow on defense and the Miami Heat took advantage again and again. They blew the Magic out in the second half and celebrated a win.
The Orlando Magic were shorthanded and knew they would have a long path to a victory with Aaron Gordon and Victor Oladipo out with a concussion. The Miami Heat talked before the game about refocusing and regaining their mental edge.
Consider that checked off. The Miami Heat were rolling offensively and never really stopped. The Magic’s defense was caught flat footed time and time again. And the Heat were constantly attacking.
Orlando could keep pace for a half. The offense was able to get some shots and make shots. But the team was too stagnant and unable to get to the basket consistently. Eventually the defense collapsed completely and the turnovers that generated fast breaks left.
All the progress Orlando had made seemed to be halted with Oladipo and Gordon, probably the team’s two best individual defenders. The Magic were poor defensively and that was where everything else had to start and stop for the Magic — undermanned or not.
The energy the Magic have been playing with for much of the last two or three years was not present. When the offense faltered, the defense tanked further with it.