The Orlando Magic let a big lead slip and lost all cohesion as the Milwaukee Bucks raced to a win at the Amway Center on Friday.
The Orlando Magic were grinding to try to make a comeback and were starting to make some headway.
The hole they dug themselves against the Milwaukee Bucks was a deep one. Turnovers, poor shot selection, bad ball movement, the whole nine yards gave the Bucks all the ammunition they needed to run and fire from deep.
Orlando was trying to fight. Trying, being the operative word. There just was not enough firepower. And ultimately, no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo with a clear runway and eyes on a steal.
A simple pass to Jonathan Isaac became a difficult task as Giannis Antetokounmpo darted through the lane. What was a 28-point deficit cut down to 15 seemed to widen with each step toward the basket.
Giannis Antetokounmpo glided toward the rim, ignoring the contact from Terrence Ross trying to undercut him. He layed it in carefully, getting the foul for good measure and the Bucks had their lead back under control. Jonathan Isaac seemed to drop his head in frustration as the Magic just did not have the firepower to keep up with the Bucks.
A hot start for Orlando that seemed to wash away the team’s offensive struggles seemed like a distant memory. Everything was a challenge as Milwaukee waltzed to a 123-91 win over Orlando at the Amway Center.
The Magic could not even count on their defense for much of the game. The Bucks shot better than 50 percent from the floor in the first half and torched the Magic from beyond the arc. Milwaukee finished shooting 50.5 percent and 17 for 47 from beyond the arc.
Orlando simply did not have the firepower to match. Much less the consistency of execution.
The Magic routinely got stuck trying to pass through the Bucks’ sea of arms as they packed the paint and kept the Magic from making clean passes to the perimeter. Orlando could never find a good rhythm.
Orlando again struggled to shoot, finishing at 37.4 percent. The turnovers were the bigger concern — 16 for 27 Milwaukee points and 36 fast-break points. It was mistake after mistake.
The Bucks may have won anyway as the better shooting team. But the Magic did not give themselves a chance, falling into the Bucks’ hands over and over again.
The Orlando Magic get a chance to shake off the loss Saturday when they return to action at the Amway Center against the Denver Nuggets.