5. Jan. 16 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Grades . . . Orlando Magic find new energy from unlikely sources
Even by January, it felt like the Orlando Magic’s season was toast. The team was just playing out the string. Everyone was looking toward the trade deadline and a chance to make some changes and for the season to end. There were already cries to start tanking.
That is how far down the rabbit hole the Magic had fallen.
Any sign of life was seen as a good one. Especially if it came with a positive.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were certainly a team to reckon with in the Eastern Conference. And the Orlando Magic were the kind of team they should have expected to defeat. Minnesota ended up the eighth seed largely because of losses like this one.
But the Magic took it to the Timberwolves throughout the game.
The most memorable moment of the game came in the second quarter when Arron Afflalo and Nemanja Bjelica got into a shoving match and ignited what amounts to a NBA fight. It was never a good thing especially for a player like Arron Afflalo. But the Magic showed some signs of life.
Do not let that distract you from the best part of this game — Khem Birch’s emergence.
Birch scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in a game that (should have) firmly established him in the rotation. His defense and understanding to defend the pick and roll were something the team desperately missed.
Add in 32 points from Evan Fournier and the Magic were in business and dominating the game. That is something Orlando desperately needed in this complete game win over a Playoff-bound and capable team.