Orlando Magic Grades: Oklahoma City Thunder 120, Orlando Magic 114
The Orlando Magic struggled defensively to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the lane. They fell at home on late-game mistakes and pick-and-roll defense.
Final. 120. 149. 114. 38
Orlando Magic guard Terrence Ross was lighting the lamp to keep the team in the game. Their defense was in shambles, but Terrence Ross could do enough to keep them in the game.
Toward the end of the third quarter, Ross hit a 3-pointer, then another 3-pointer, then a four-point play, then another 3-pointer, helping the Orlando Magic erase a late seven-point deficit and make the final 12 minutes a battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
By the final two minutes, it no longer mattered how much the Magic’s defense struggled for the previous three quarters. They had given themselves their chance to win the game, keeping it tight and fighting back to get within one with 4:58 left.
Then the wheels started to come off again. The defense got loose, fouling on back-to-back possessions on cheap reach-ins as the defense struggled to keep pace. Aaron Gordon missed two free throws with the Magic down one to give them their first lead of the game.
Evan Fournier, Markelle Fultz and Nikola Vucevic each had turnovers in the closing seconds. And Evan Fournier, Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross each missed critical shots that seemed forced. Orlando tightened up and could not break their defensive struggles.
Dennis Schroder put the game away with a 20-foot pull-up jumper with one minute to play to give the Thunder a six-point lead. Orlando was merely playing off desperation from there in falling 120-114 at the Amway Center on Wednesday.
Orlando could only look for answers in a poor defensive effort. An effort coach Steve Clifford said was not good and did not improve at any point during the course of the game. Thunder ball handlers, he said, got to their spots and the big-man rotation was late to challenge or unable to stop lob attempts over their head.
While the Magic found short bursts of defense enough to get back into the game, the Thunder always had the front foot. They took it to the Magic in the paint, shooting 60.5 percent from the floor. It was like that all game as the Thunder simply had the Magic’s number.
Orlando showed the fight to stay in the game. But ultimately the Magic’s own mistakes and poor defense doomed the team in the end.
C-. Nikola Vucevic was both savior and goat for much of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out five assists. He made 10 of his 20 shots for the game. On paper, it looked like Vucevic had a solid game. And for long stretches, he was about the only offense the Magic could muster.<p>There is a deeper side to this though. There were plenty of missed shots that Vucevic simply has to make that he has struggled with all year. There were some critical turnovers, including losing the ball when <a rel=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC
G/F. Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER. D. The most concerning aspect of the Orlando Magic’s last four games has been the inconsistent play of the team’s best players. That was more than the case with Evan Fournier who made several critical and poor decisions late in the game. Fournier scored just 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting, making only one of his six 3-pointers.<p>His shot selection was generally poor. While he got a few runners to go down, he often took contested and hurried outside shots. Fournier struggled to get himself going offensively. But those mistakes only compounded with his decision making off the dribble. Fournier tallied seven turnovers for the game, making a lot of poor passes into traffic and generally getting stuck offensively.</p><p>His defense was not much better. The Oklahoma City Thunder had free reign to get into the paint and go wherever they wanted throughout the game. Fournier struggled to keep his man in front and had his share of lazy fouls as the defense struggled to contain the perimeter players.</p>
B. The Orlando Magic’s biggest spark and the guy who kept this game from becoming a blowout after the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 15-point lead in the third quarter was Terrence Ross. Ross went supernova to end the third quarter scoring 12 points in the final 2:09 of the third quarter as part of a 14-8 run to close the quarter. That made it a game again.<p>Throughout the second half, when the Magic needed a bucket, Ross seemed able to provide one. His 26 points helped stave off any run from the Thunder to gain separation. In all, Ross made 8 of 16 shots and 5 of 11 3-pointers, including all five free throws. He was on fire.</p><p>The Magic turned to him trying to find some answer down the stretch. But the fire had worn out by that time. ross could not get that last shot to go in. With the Magic trailing by four points late, Ross did a great job to shake his man and get an open 3-pointer. But it fell no good. The margin for error was too thin.</p>. G/F. Orlando Magic. TERRENCE ROSS
Orlando Magic. MICHAEL CARTER-WILLIAMS. B+. <a href=. PG
7th West. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. A-. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offense is usually a series of pick and rolls. They have three fantastic point guards that are able to put pressure on most defense and centers who can fly to the rim or pop open for three. Not to mention guards smart enough to keep their pivot foot and work their way into mid-range shots. The Thunder are a tough team to face.<p>The Orlando Magic should have a defense capable of slowing down that attack. They have done so throughout the season. And the defense just let them down. Over and over again, Chris Paul (19 points, six assists), <a rel=. 26-19
The Orlando Magic fall to 21-24 and are seventh in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets. The Orlando Magic’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 34 Magic wins or 34 Detroit Pistons losses.
dark. Next. No rest for weary Magic
The Orlando Magic’s homestand continues Friday as they host the Boston Celtics.