The Orlando Magic buckled down defensively and dictated the tempo in every way to blow out the Miami Heat in a big home win.
The Orlando Magic could have felt bad knowing Jonathan Isaac was out for the foreseeable future. No matter how upbeat he or the rest of the Magic’s front office seemed to be, one of the team’s best players and most important players was on the sideline — actually not on the sideline, but in the locker room — for at least the next quarter of the season.
Aaron Gordon’s return was welcomed just for depth. But the team seemed like it had to find itself again. Everyone would have to pull more weight.
Facing a big Miami Heat team, coach Steve Clifford opted to start Khem Birch at power forward. To signal how much the team is in a state of flux, Steve Clifford said Khem Birch had not practiced at power forward until the team’s shootaround that morning. Orlando is still piecing things together.
For one night, the puzzle pieces fit perfectly.
Birch fit in as a power forward, despite some moments where he was caught behind the 3-point line with nothing to do or cutting into the wrong space. But he also screened hard and fought on the glass. He looked more at home.
And that benefited everyone. Terrence Ross hit five 3-pointers in the first half. Aaron Gordon jammed all over Tyler Herro early in the second quarter to put some emphasis on the game. And Orlando’s defense scrambled and harassed Miami into a 6-point fourth quarter.
Orlando flummoxed Miami at almost every single beat. Only a third-quarter spat of 3-pointers and free throws brought the Heat back into the game, cutting an 18-point deficit to four points. But the Magic answered and put the screws on them with six turnovers and six points in the fourth quarter.
Orlando picked up a confidence-building 105-85 win at the Amway Center on Friday. The Magic asserted their will and even with two of their better players underperforming in some way, they kept breaking down the Heat’s defense.
Orlando played with more energy and intensity as Miami slept-walk through the game. It will take energetic performances like this to achieve the team’s goals.
The Magic showed once again when they play defense, they can beat almost anybody.
The Orlando Magic improved to 16-19. They hold a three-game lead over the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls for eighth in the East and are one game behind the Brooklyn Nets for seventh. The Orlando Magic are back in action Saturday at the Amway Center against the Utah Jazz.