Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 115, New York Knicks 89
The Orlando Magic dominated the New York Knicks from start to finish with their most complete and strongest victory of the season.
27. Final. 115. 38. 89
Something was different from the moment the Orlando Magic stepped onto the floor.
There was a heightened focus and an attention to detail. The team was flying around defensively and deflecting everything in sight. It helped that the New York Knicks were missing every shot they thought about putting up and even some they did not. It was that kind of night.
The kind of night where Jonathon Simmons could throw the ball into Nikola Vucevic have Enes Kanter tip it right back into his hands as he cut in for a layup. The kind of night where the Magic made 17 of 42 3-pointers, actually hitting the open 3-pointers teams seem happy to give up to this team.
And, more importantly, the kind of night where the Magic’s defensive attention did not fail or falter ever. The Magic were flying to the ball and largely gumming up whatever the Knicks wanted to do. They forced turnovers and got out in transition.
It all came together for the Magic’s first win by double-digits. And it was a mega one. A 115-89 Magic win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Yes, Orlando got up big on a struggling New York team and never let them back in. There was no giving up a big lead like in the previous three games. Orlando was up 30-10 after the first quarter and expanded the lead from there, leading by as much as 34.
The Knicks were hardly focused or strong enough to make a push. The typical NBA run never came. New York turned it over 19 times, leading to 22 Orlando points. The Magic moved the ball smoothly around the perimeter and found the open man for easy shots. Making them sure helped too.
But Orlando did not need that. The Magic were better than 50 percent in the first half when they built their lead. But they ended the game shooting just 44.9 percent for the game. Orlando’s offense was strong most of the game but the team survived and expanded the lead even when the offense was not working.
That was the sign this was a good game. The margin was huge and the Magic simply dominated.
<a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. TERRENCE ROSS. A
B+. <a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. JONATHON SIMMONS
Orlando Magic. JERIAN GRANT. A-. <a href=. PG
B-. Coach <a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. WESLEY IWUNDU
NEW YORK KNICKS. F. The New York Knicks were bad. Just bad. Really bad. They shot 35.2 percent from the floor and turned it over 19 times. Orlando dictated everything from the opening tip. The Knicks were never in this game and never made a serious run. This was a beating in every possible way.<p>New York did a decent job attacking the offensive glass in the first half. But that did not really matter. The Knicks were ineffective on those second-chance opportunities. And the Magic gave them little room to get out in transition or take advantage of mistakes. Orlando never let up and New York never got up.</p><p>About the only positive for the Knicks was the play of rookie <a rel=. 4-10. 12th East
Next. Orlando Magic veterans deliver poise. dark
The Orlando Magic go back to back, taking on the Washington Wizards on the road on Monday.