Orlando Magic Grades: Utah Jazz 109, Orlando Magic 102
The Orlando Magic rallied back from 18 points down to take a late lead, but could not stem the tide or hit open shots to secure the win.
Final. 102. 38. 109. 118
Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic needed the relief. A 3-pointer fell in and gave the Magic a lead for the first time since the first quarter. The Orlando Magic had erased an 18-point Utah Jazz lead and now were feeling it.
D.J. Augustin scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to charge the team, driving through the lane and finishing around the basket. The energy was absolutely needed. And the Magic, after struggling to shoot from the perimeter all game, opened up a seven-point lead when D.J. Augustin found Nikola Vucevic again for a mid-range jumper.
The Jazz though had their weapons. They had their guy. And Donovan Mitchell carried them to the end.
The Magic just could not get shots to fall to stem the tide.
Mitchell made a thunderous jam over Vucevic to start the Jazz’s run — a 19-5 closing kick. With the Jazz leading by one, the Magic missed open shots from Evan Fournier and Vucevic and Mitchell closed it out with floaters for a 109-102 win at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
But the Utah had the ball movement working as Orlando’s previously stout defense suddenly dried up. Mitchell may have finished the Magic off. But it was Bojan Bogdanovic hitting a 3-pointer on a botched coverage trying to collapse on Rudy Gobert diving down the lane.
Bogdanovic remained a constant thorn in the Magic’s side, dropping in 30 points and six 3-pointers. The two he hit in that ending stretch during the Jazz’s run were particularly backbreaking, coming off of Magic defensive mistakes.
The Magic still had their chances down the stretch. They still worked the ball to get Evan Fournier open shots at the top of the key — the kind of shots he has hit consistently all season — and they still worked to get Vucevic open shots for three. They missed them all.
Perhaps Orlando could have done more to get into the lane or take advantage of an early trip into the penalty. But the Magic got their best shooters and best scorers open shots that just would not fall.
It is still a make-or-miss league after all. They will rue those missed opportunities. They will likely rue the wayward behind-the-back pass from Augustin that led to a Bogdanovic layup and the missed rotations even more when they watch the tape.
C+. Evan Fournier takes losses hard. And this one seemed to wash over his face. He stated it simply for him: the difference in the game was he missed the big shots down the stretch and Donovan Mitchell made the big shots. That is an over-simplified explanation for the Orlando Magic’s loss.<p>To be sure, Fournier got plenty of good looks the Magic expect him to make. And sometimes, the shot just does not fall. He missed all eight of his 3-point attempts. Some were perhaps a bit too off-balance and there were plenty of missed shots. But Fournier was efficient everywhere else. He scored 19 points on 8-for-17 shooting, missing just one inside the paint. He cut to the basket well and was willing to challenge and run behind Rudy Gobert in the paint.</p><p>Fournier’s lack of balance on his shot was also present defensively. He was always a bit off-balance defensively defending Mitchell. Mitchell did not get all of his shots against Fournier. But Evan Fournier struggled to keep Donovan Mitchell from entering the paint, forcing Nikola Vucevic to step up more than was probably ideal.</p>. G/F. Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER
C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC. C. With the way Nikola Vucevic played Sunday, it was easy to forget that it was his first game back in nearly three weeks. It was easier to see that rust Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. Nikola Vucevic struggled to shoot, making only 4 of his 15 shots for 12 points. He hit two of eight 3-pointers, but they were both big ones in the fourth quarter. That confidence late was a big reason why the Magic came back.<p>But Vucevic was a bit hesitant all night. He was not attacking the paint aggressively (really on either end) and cautious around Rudy Gobert. The Jazz were switching a lot and the Magic tried to force feed Vucevic in the post, but he struggled to take advantage. His timing was off.</p><p>That was the case defensively too. Gobert had three offensive rebounds in the first half and was a strong on the glass. Vucevic really had no way to defend him when Gobert got into his body. Vucevic did defend well outside of that. He protected the lane well and challenge drives relatively effectively for most of the night. But Gobert had a lot of gravity and did not allow Vucevic to be as assertive on the glass as he needs to be.</p>
B+. When D.J. Augustin was grooving last year for the Orlando Magic, he was constantly attacking. A little jitterbug, zipping in and out of the lane and hitting tough leaners and floaters while still feeding cutters and drivers as he worked through the defense. He could slither around taller defenders to finish at the rim. He was a constant threat on the attack. Augustin has missed the efficiency that made him so effective in those moments.<p>Not Tuesday. Against the Utah Jazz, Augustin was nearly the sole reason the Orlando Magic found the energy to get back into the game. He was zipping through the lane again and keeping the Jazz retreating as he attacked the paint. That is what the Magic need from him.</p><p>Augustin finished with 22 points — 14 in the fourth quarter — making 8 of 10 shots. He added three assists. Augustin was everywhere the Magic needed him. But the poor play he had this year reared late. His lone turnover was a costly one as he sent a wayward behind the back pass straight to the Jazz for a late basket.</p>. PG. Orlando Magic. D.J. AUGUSTIN
C. It is rare to see a game where <a href=. F. Orlando Magic. JONATHAN ISAAC
B. The Utah Jazz are very similar to the Orlando Magic. They are still figuring themselves out offensively. The big difference is they have players like Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert who create gravity. And their 3-point shooting is superb. If the Magic are looking for a model program from the West — the Jazz are a good team to model after.<p>The difference is that Mitchell and Gobert. Mitchell scored a thunderous jam with the Jazz down by seven points late in the game after losing an 18-point lead. And he took over down the stretch. The Magic might have gotten good shots, but they did not have someone who could make sure he finished.</p><p>Utah went as its 3-point shooting went though. The Jazz made 15 of 36 from beyond the arc. That 15-7 edge on 3-pointers was the big difference in the game. Orlando was always climbing up hill. Still, Gobert’s defense kept the Magic out of the paint for the most part and settling for jumpers to build that 18-point lead. And Utah spread the floor when it mattered to get their star the best shot or an outlet.</p>. 16-11. 6th West. UTAH JAZZ
Next. Trade deadline won't solve Orlando Magic's problems. dark
The Orlando Magic are now 12-15 and eighth in the Eastern Conference. They face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday on the road.