Orlando Magic Grades: Charlotte Hornets 121, Orlando Magic 81
The Orlando Magic laid another one of their eggs, struggling to get anything going and falling to the Charlotte Hornets by 40 points on the road.
38. Final. 121. 170. 81
Early in the first quarter, the Orlando Magic got the deflection they desperately needed to try to break the Charlotte Hornets’ momentum. It was the kind of disruptive defensive play that tends to throw a team’s rhythm off, at least for a possession. Maybe it could turn into a turnover or a runout or just something to feel good about.
Nicolas Batum jumped toward the backcourt and saved it for Kemba Walker. Elfrid Payton was a bit late or unaware and caught out of position. Batum delivered it perfectly to Walker who stepped into a 3-pointer, one of three he made in the first quarter.
The Charlotte Hornets scored the first eight points of the game and were off and running from there.
Charlotte shot 59.5 percent and made 10 of 21 3-pointers in routing the Magic 121-81 at Spectrum Center on Friday. The Magic made one push to tie the game in the first quarter and then quickly succumbed to the Hornets’ onslaught of shooting and stifling defense.
Charlotte made its share of tough shots to demoralize the Orlando defense. But the Magic did not help themselves offensively. Orlando shot 40.8 percent from the floor and just 5 for 27 (18.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Magic were extremely stagnant on that end with only Elfrid Payton’s 12 assists and Aaron Gordon‘s activity around the basket the only positive. The Magic never gained traction. The run never came.
And as has been the case for the Magic so often this season, they seemed to get more frustrated and try to shoot themselves out of it. The Hornets walled off the paint well and prevented any dribble penetration. Orlando was forcing things the entire game.
Eventually, it all broke. The Hornets kept making shots, creating their own opportunities and getting all the breaks.
Nothing seemed more emphatic than Marvin Williams diving down the lane and jamming all over Bismack Biyombo. The Magic were as defenseless as Biyombo was on that play.
C+. After back-to-back triple doubles and a generally strong run of play since the All-Star Break, Elfrid Payton is carrying a lot of weight these days. He is the driver for Orlando and the guy who keeps the team moving and attacking. As it has been for a while, it seems, the Magic go as Payton goes.<p>Tonight, Payton was decidedly not going well. The Hornets did a good job walling off the paint and forcing him to the perimeter. He went more left and right around the perimeter rather than attacking the basket. And that kept the team stagnant. Payton did get 12 assists. So he was trying to move the ball when he got it.</p><p>Defensively is where Payton really struggled, though. He got caught on screens and bit on pump fakes, giving up driving lanes and shooting opportunities for Kemba Walker. The Magic still go as Payton goes and his 8-point, 12-assist stat line looked good, but he did not bring anyone along with him.</p>. PG. Orlando Magic. ELFRID PAYTON
B. Aaron Gordon was one of the few players who brought a consistent energy to the game. He was active around the basket and looked to attack off the dribble. Not only did he attack, but he went quickly to catch them before they could get set. That is what the Magic needed more than anything else.<p>Gordon finished with 20 points on 8f-or-14 shooting. He was efficient and aggressive all night long. His defense was a bit absent, but he was not defending Nicolas Batum or any of the Hornets’ main offensive players.</p><p>Eventually, Gordon too succumbed to the poor energy from the Magic throughout the game. He had one possession where he hesitated instead of shooting or attacking and allowed the defense to catch up to him. Gordon has found his space and his fit attacking power forwards better. But it is still a work in progress.</p>. PF. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON
Orlando Magic. BISMACK BIYOMBO. B+. Give Bismack Biyombo credit, he largely did what he was brought to Orlando to do. He protected the rim and changed shots near the basket. He grabbed rebounds and was a presence in the paint. Offensively, he kept things relatively simple and finished around the basket. He missed free throws, but that is expected.<p>More and more in the last few weeks, Biyombo has looked more like the play from Toronto that dominated in the Playoffs. It is not about how much points he scores but about his presence in the paint. he recorded seven points and grabbed two rebounds. His 1-for-8 shooting from the foul line was the only blemish.</p><p>If there is one thing Orlando did well it was defending the paint. Both the Hornets and Magic scored 38 points in the paint. The problem for the Magic defensively was on the perimeter where they allowed too many blow-bys and bit on too many pump fakes. That is not on Biyombo. He forced the Hornets to rely on jumpers. They made them Friday.</p>. C
C.J. WATSON. D. The Orlando Magic have a bench problem. Everyone seems to recognize this — especially since the Magic’s two iterations of their starting lineup are the top two lineups with at least 75 minutes played in the entire NBA since the All-Star Break. At least before Friday’s game. There just is not a creator. And it seems they fall into the same traps of taking quick contested shots.<p>Into that frustrating role stepped <strong><a rel=. G. Orlando Magic
A+. When a team wins by 40 points, it is a combination of skill and a bit of rhythm and luck. The Charlotte Hornets were sharp early taking an eight-point lead and getting three 3-pointers from Kemba Walker. <strong><a rel=. 29-36. 11th East. CHARLOTTE HORNETS