Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 110, Atlanta Hawks 106

The Orlando Magic needed every moment and every effort to climb out of the hole and defeat the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. For once, they got it.

The Orlando Magic were desperate. They needed that edge and desperation. The one thing that was missing from the second quarter on as the Atlanta Hawks — that five-win team playing without two rotation centers and generally thought to be tanking for next season — throughout the middle of the game.

Down by nine points in the second half, the Magic would have to make their stand at some point. They would have to change the direction. Even if the shots were not falling and even if the team was struggling to generate its offense.

With each stop, they clawed their way up the hill, only to slip back down again.

The light came at the end, at last.

After failing to expand a one-point lead on three straight possessions, the Hawks took the lead by three points with 14.7 seconds left. The Magic had one last chance. And even if it was ugly they were going to make this one work.

Jonathon Simmons‘ pass to the perimeter after a drive was deflected to Nikola Vucevic. He saw the defense collapsing around him and dished it back to D.J. Augustin. Through a small window, D.J. Augustin drained the game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime.

Orlando continued to fight and showed some grit the rest of the way, putting Atlanta away for a 110-106 victory at Amway Center on Wednesday.

Even with Evan Fournier going out with a sprained right ankle on the first play of overtime after he hit an and-one over the defense. Even with the Hawks still finding ways to get open threes and make things close. The Magic found a way. That counts for something?

Orlando was frustrated for sure. The team saw its own nine-point lead evaporate in the second quarter. The Magic committed nine turnovers and shot just 6 for 28 from beyond the arc, including missing their first nine. The Hawks were ready to scrap and do whatever it took to attack the Magic’s poor perimeter defense.

Finally, Orlando stepped up defensively. Nikola Vucevic became a bigger presence in the paint and held off some attempts that would have surely sunk the team. Orlando took the win when it had to, despite all of its mistakes and frustration.

Next: Aaron Gordon should take on a primary defensive role

The Orlando Magic take on the Denver Nuggets next at the Amway Center on Friday.