Orlando Magic pick up energy against San Antonio Spurs

The Orlando Magic were without Jonathan Isaac for the first time. But they had plenty of players pick up the energy to secure the win.

The Orlando Magic were undermanned with its starting small forward Jonathan Isaac out of the lineup. Isaac had sprained his ankle Friday against the LA Clippers. Just how long the Magic will be without him remains unclear.

Until he returns, the players had to pick up the energy for this key defensive player. And it could not have started with a tougher task than the precise San Antonio Spurs on the road.

For a team that lacks depth and has struggled to play consistently, that absence could be a pretty big blow. Who would step up in his place? Just how much would the Magic be able to pull together to maintain some level of success?

For one game, at least Orlando found the right formula. The team’s defense was on point and the ball moved freely. The Magic got the kind of effort they will need even when Isaac returns.

It turns out replacing Isaac was an extreme team effort.

Wesley Iwundu started in Jonathan Isaac’s place and was aggressive from the start. In the first quarter Wesley Iwundu drove to the lane and missed a layup but Aaron Gordon was right there to clean up the miss and slam it down with a dunk.

Iwundu did not make a field goal in the game. He was at times too aggressive. But the overall energy he brought on the defensive end more than set the table for the team to replace Isaac.

It was this kind of energy that was missing Friday night in the loss to the Clippers. Aaron Gordon said the team came to play after the game. Indeed, they did. The ball movement was crisp and the team’s shots were falling.

It was a team effort to pick up that energy. Maybe losing a starter to injury helped narrow the team’s focus.

Certainly, Jonathan Isaac’s crunchtime replacement in Terrence Ross made a big impact.

Terrence Ross came into the game in the first quarter and immediately uplifted the Magic. He was automatic on the two-dribble pull-up on the wing. Ross finished the quarter with eight points making all four of his shots. He also got into the lane at will and dished out three assists too.

This staked the magic a double-digit lead. It was Ross’ second-half stint that would put Orlando up by 20 and direct the team toward a rout.

Ross would show up again in the third when the Magic needed him. After a Patty Mills three, Terrence Ross would go on to hit three triples of his own to finish the third quarter with nine points.

Overall, Ross finished with 17 points and four assists. Every single one of those would be important as the Spurs made their run to cut the deficit. Ross remained a huge safety valve for the team with constant and consistent energy throughout the game.

Not to be outdone, Aaron Gordon would get into the action and start hitting triples of his own, which got him going.

He would hit 4-of-10 3-point attempts. Gordon became the Magic’s go-to scorer down the stretch of the game. He made some keys dives down the lane where he displayed his athleticism and strength.

Orlando Magic

Aaron Gordon was not automatic though and rookie Mohamed Bamba had to clean up a few of his misses. The rookie had a career night with five offensive rebounds and a total of 11 rebounds. Mohamed Bamba also scored 12 points for his first career double-double. He had active hands in the paint and benefited off the aggressive play of Ross and Gordon.

They were not the only sources for energy.

D.J. Augustin was flying all over to make hustle and energy plays, saving the ball from going out of bounds on several occasions or eking out an offensive rebound on others. He finished with 18 points and seven assists in what was perhaps his best game.

Even little-used Jarell Martin had seven solid minutes in the first half to help expand the Magic’s lead. He ran the fast break effectively drawing a foul on one foray into the paint and finishing an and-1 dunk on another. That all helped Orlando build the lead.

Orlando was on go from the outset of the game. The Spurs could not rally and stop the Magic’s momentum.

This is how the Magic need to play. They were without a key player who will make them better in the long run and they responded well.

The question for Orlando now is whether the team can match this energy and keep the togetherness and effort to score a consecutive win.