The Orlando Magic played with better energy and a better purpose. But a strong fourth-quarter run from the LA Clippers was enough to finish them off.
The Orlando Magic’s grip on the lead they held throughout the second half slipped as quickly as Lou Williams rising for a jumper.
Williams’ spurtability and his instant offense was something the Magic simply could not match. Not with their undermanned roster and not with the margin of error they had because of it.
Orlando struggled offensively for a six-minute stretch early in the fourth quarter. The reserve unit that featured Shelvin Mack, Rodney Purvis, Wesley Iwundu, Khem Birch and Bismack Biyombo just did not have the offensive firepower to keep up. It did not have the defensive grit for that short stretch either.
The LA Clippers raced ahead thanks to 25 points from Williams and a 14-3 run in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. Orlando scored only 16 points in the final quarter. The Magic could not overcome all of that in a 113-105 loss to the Clippers at Staples Center on Saturday.
Orlando could not get across the finish line in the end.
That is expected from an undermanned and underperforming team. The Orlando Magic made good bouncing back from a disconnected effort Friday against the Sacramento Kings. If Orlando plays with this kind of energy, the team should be able to steal a few games or catch someone sleeping.
It seemed that way for much of the night. Jonathan Isaac was roaming around for steals and making a huge impact defensively. Jonathon Simmons was attacking aggressively off the dribble to get to the basket. Orlando was scrambling well and keeping its energy up.
The defense was a bit disconnected. The Clippers had plenty of easy drives and went on long scoring binges. Binges the Magic had to answer. They could not answer the last one.
LA shot 52.6 percent from the floor and 7 for 18 from beyond the arc. Orlando did not have the firepower despite their energy.
Next: Facing injuries again, energy is a must for the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic finish their West Coast road trip in San Antonio against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.