The Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards had no shortage of offense. But the Wizards had the plays down the stretch to top the Magic.
The Orlando Magic made one last panicky run to defeat the Washington Wizards. Their short-lived one-point lead disappeared in a wave of John Wall jumpers as the teams started to try to force action to go after each other.
Wall was going to win that battle. And with the Magic trying desperately to erase that late eight-point deficit, it was John Wall who topped Aaron Gordon.
Trailing by five points, Aaron Gordon got out in transition on a one-on-two break. Gordon took on the two defenders and got to the rim. He put the ball up on the backboard, appearing on replay to knick the rim on the way up, but Wall was behind him. Before it could hit the glass, Wall blocked the shot. Officials determined it was not a goaltend.
With a minute to play and that five-point lead safely intact, Wall drove through the lane, breaking down a fractured defense and got to the rim for a layup. That made the lead insurmountable for the Magic.
Orlando did not have enough offense in a 125-119 loss to Washington at Capital One Arena on Friday.
And that was what this game was about from the very beginning. There was not much defense played at all. The Wizards shot 56.8 percent from the floor and the Magic shot 51.2 percent. It was a slow, lazy game defensively. When the teams were able to create a bit of defensive rhythm, that is when they were able to zoom ahead.
It felt like the Wizards were going to expand their lead and stretch it into double figures on several occasions. The third quarter was that dreaded time again. Orlando got into the bonus early and was bleeding points. But Aaron Gordon delivered some solid plays and Elfrid Payton kept the pressure up. The Magic fought their way back again and again.
The Magic’s offense kept them in the game and they stayed in rhythm and kept rolling. Until the pressure got too much and time ran out. Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon were not the top scorers on this team tonight, but they are still the most important players. They could not convert in the fourth quarter when their number was called. And that hurt the team in the end.
The Wizards made their plays down the stretch. The Magic did not.
Coach Frank Vogel was encouraged with his team’s effort — and especially their passing — but it was ultimately a game without the desired results.
Next: Orlando Magic Second Quarter MVP: Aaron Gordon
The Orlando Magic get a few days off and return home to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.