The Orlando Magic put an offensive onslaught on the New York Knicks early, finding just enough defense and energy to close them out.
Frustration was written on the Orlando Magic’s faces.
They had dominated the first quarter to build as much as an 18-point lead and tied a franchise record with 44 points in the opening quarter. Aaron Gordon scored 20 points in the quarter and the Magic made their first 10 shots. Everything seemed so easy.
This was not a game they wanted to be frustrated. But it was written all over their faces as Enes Kanter picked up offensive rebounds and players like Trey Burke attacked and paraded to the line.
Their frustration was clear as they could not put the New York Knicks away. Nikola Vucevic picked up a technical foul in the second half, peeved with an apparent noncall and the team’s struggles to get itself together.
The standard is indeed a bit higher.
The Knicks never led. Every push came with an equal response. And the Magic held on 131-117 at the Amway Center on Sunday, pushing the team’s record above .500 for the first time since the opening night win.
The last burst the team needed came in the fourth quarter with Jonathan Isaac running down the lane and flying to the basket. His length on full display in one key sequence where he blocked a shot and then cut to where D.J. Augustin perfectly delivered a no-look pass for a one-handed jam.
The Magic found that little bit they needed. Their lone offensive lapse came in the second quarter as the Knicks inched back into the game. Otherwise, they were cruising offensively, shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. The Knicks were not going to stop them. And the Magic always found their offensive answer even if their defense was a bit inconsistent.
None of that matters, of course. In the end, the Magic made more than enough plays to win the game. Even with the Knicks doing a lot of things that might ultimately cost the Magic games in the future — 35 free throw attempts and 17 offensive rebounds chief among them — the Magic had enough to score the victory.
The Orlando Magic close their homestand Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.