The Orlando Magic banded together and made some plays down the stretch to score a 125-121 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Aaron Gordon led the way with 41.
The Orlando Magic are still trying to discover themselves. Their defense is not consistent yet. Their offense can still bog down. Everyone is trying to find their way.
Doing all that while still finding a way to win? That is something, isn’t it?
Aaron Gordon capped off a career night draining a go-ahead 3-pointer with less than a minute to play and a struggling Terrence Ross, who a few possessions earlier had foolishly fouled a 3-point shooter a few possessions earlier, stole D’Angelo Russell’s overhead pass on the pick and roll.
The ensuing free throws from Evan Fournier allowed the Orlando Magic to complete a 12-point second-half comeback and defeat the Brooklyn Nets 125-121 at the Amway Center on Tuesday.
Orlando hardly looked the dominant or better team, but it did something only good teams find a way to do — win without playing their best. And the Magic were hardly at their best most of the night.
But when the game got under fire in the fourth quarter, Orlando picked up its energy and attention on the defensive end. Brooklyn shot 45.1 percent through three quarters. The Nets hit only 8 of 25 shots (32 percent) in the fourth. About the only thing keeping Brooklyn afloat was Orlando’s inability to defend without fouling.
That was a constant problem for the Magic’s defense all game. Orlando committed 23 fouls for 34 Brooklyn free throw attempts. The Magic were often in their own way defensively, playing a strong early run through the shot clock and then giving up the possession on a bump or a late reach in. The Nets continued to put pressure on the Magic’s perimeter defense and it buckled.
That is, until the fourth quarter. In what Frank Vogel called the team’s best defensive quarter of the season, the Magic locked down and slowly closed the deficit. They turned to Evan Fournier to close the game and he delivered.
And when he could not, Gordon had the delivery.
Even though the Magic gave up a silly five points down the stretch — a three-shot foul for D’Angelo Russell and a putback from DeMarre Carroll after he stole the rebound from Nikola Vucevic — to find themselves down one, they found a way. That is all the final score cares about.
Orlando found a way.
Next: Orlando Magic heading in the right direction
The Orlando Magic next play Friday at home against the San Antonio Spurs.