March 31, 2017
The Orlando Magic were playing better toward the end of the season, unleashing their offense more with a more wide open style. Elfrid Payton was on an individual torrid pace, racking up triple doubles seemingly every game.
The Magic were coming off a disappointing and frustrating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder a few days earlier. Playing the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on the road was not what the doctor ordered. It was easy to fear the worst.
But the Magic were game to fight in this one. They had control of the game for much of the first half. And Payton was the catalyst as he was for much of the last half of the season.
Payton scored 12 points and dished out 15 assists. But he likely will want one shot back.
In the last seconds, the Magic opted to go without a timeout down one point. Payton got all the way to the basket but missed his layup over Amir Johnson, allowing the Celtics to escape with an 117-116 victory.
Payton got much of the story for his missed shot and brilliant play, falling one rebound short of a triple-double.
But this was another game that showed what Aaron Gordon can become. In the highlight of the game, Gordon scaled Marcus Smart for a dunk in an incredible display of Gordon’s freakish athleticism.
Gordon finished with 32 points and 16 rebounds. Again, an example of Gordon’s burgeoning stardom if he could get consistency.
As was abundantly clear, many of the Magic’s hopes are pinned to Gordon.
"Then with that trademark athleticism, Gordon rose. Up and over Marcus Smart, a bystander in a poster that did not seem possible. Gordon can indeed leap point guards in a single bound. This was Gordon at his most confident. Zooming past everyone to the rim like he needed to get there and like no one could stop him. Stopping on a dime to pull up for a suddenly confident jumper, it hitting the net with that delightful thwack. There have been precious few of these moments where Gordon’s scoring takes over a game. It is when his athleticism seems to find its most usefulness. He would help try to lock down and contain Isaiah Thomas on one end — someone with his size should not have as much success against Thomas’ speed, but yet Gordon slowed him down plenty — and then he would have the size and speed to beat any matchup."
Gordon had more and more of these moments this season. Through the lineup changes and the failed experiments, Gordon still had a strong offensive season. A season where it was clear there was plenty for him to grow from.
This game was a sign of what Gordon can be. He was active on the glass, confident with his jumper and providing highlight-reel plays.
All that was missing was the win.