The Orlando Magic ended their season on a high note, getting three big shots from Elfrid Payton and pulling out the victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The Amway Center crowd was on its feet like the game actually meant something to the two teams. They were going to send out the Magic with some energy. And Orlando was going to try to send them home happy.
No, the Magic did not play their full rotation, finishing much of the game with either Aaron Gordon or Stephen Zimmerman playing at center. But they did come down to the wire with everyone on the edge of their seats.
After Boban Marjanovic got a put-back and drew a foul to give the Pistons a one-point lead, Elfrid Payton answered back.
Payton hit back-to-back-to-back step-back jumpers to deliver the Magic a two-possession lead and eventually an 113-109 victory over the Pistons at Amway Center in front of an announced record crowd of 19,458.
Those fans got their money’s worth to end the season.
They really got it from the start of the game to the end. The Magic responded to Monday’s disappointing defeat with a strong and energetic effort to open the game. They took a 38-17 lead after one quarter for their largest lead of the game, doing so with 3-point shooting and ball movement and defense and all the things the Magic always wanted to be.
Aaron Gordon got himself going early with transition opportunities and an irrationally confident jumper as Orlando hit 6 of 10 3-pointers. It got the whole team going and in the right spirit throughout the game.
Detroit worked its way back into the game. The Magic’s bench still had its struggles and the Pistons attacked to get to the line to close the gap.
That may not have been how coach Frank Vogel wanted the game to end, but he did want to give his young players the chance to win the game. And so that part, at least, went according to some design. The Magic played Zimmerman, Mario Hezonja, Gordon, Payton and Marcus Georges-Hunt.
In a tight game, each played their role in the win. Zimmerman hit a big running hook to put the Magic up and did his best to hold off Marjanovic. Gordon was the offensive leader for much of the night, carrying the Magic back into the game after giving up the lead.Hezonja pulled down a career-high in rebounds and hit a big 3-pointer late. Georges-Hunt iced the game from the foul line.
And Payton delivered at the end. Vogel put the ball in his hands and let him go to work. The Magic got their win they wanted and delivered a happy ending to a frustrating 2017 season.