Three-point shooting can mask a lot of problems. A stagnant offense that is still hitting threes can keep a game close that actually is not. But eventually, things get right. Eventually, everyone finds their center and teams that cannot score outside of their 3-point shooting fall behind.
The Orlando Magic’s offense in the first quarter relied heavily on 3-point shooting, making six of 10 in the quarter. That kept the game close.
But it was never going to last. Especially with this team. Orlando made just four more 3-pointers the rest of the game. Without that to cushion the team, it was inevitable what would happen.
The Philadelphia 76ers, playing for the best record in the Eastern Conference and homecourt throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, eventually took over. And took over for good.
The Sixers outscored the Magic 39-19 in the second quarter. They never looked back from that point, making the second half academic and giving their star players plenty of rest to end the game and perhaps the season, including the team’s final game Sunday against the Magic.
Philadelphia walked to a 122-97 win at Wells Fargo Center on Friday, simply taking care of their business.
Orlando shot 39.8-percent from the floor and 10 for 30 from beyond the arc. That poor shooting from beyond the arc especially kept the Magic behind offensively. Philadelphia just started pulling away and never really looked back.
The Magic could not even get to the line with 20 of their 28 free throw attempts coming in the second half with the game well decided.
Orlando could not keep up. The Sixers made 16 of 34 3-pointers and forced their way to the line as the Magic were just always a step behind.
Dwayne Bacon has been the source of Orlando Magic fans’ ire for some time now. Just remember he was never meant to play the role he is playing for the team. he was never meant to be one of the key creators and drivers. The jokes about his inability to pass are exactly why he has been in and out of the league throughout his career. And so for every great game he has, he has stinkers that absolutely sink his team.
This is one of those games that sink the team completely. He scored just four points but missed all 11 shots. That includes missing all six of his shots in the first half. As one of the few drivers on the team, that is extremely costly. He has struggled to find balance between attacking and playmaking all year. This was one of the worst instances, coming in a game where the Magic could not find much rhythm.
Cole Anthony is ending his season on a bit of a dour note. Defenses are definitely putting more attention and pressure on him and the rookie is struggling some to handle it. That should be expected to some degree. Rookies no matter how deep into the season are still seeing new situations and new stimuli.
Anthony’s results have been mixed of late. And what is clear is that one thing he needs to get better at in the offseason is learning how to manage a team and pick his spots better to score. That part has gotten better as the season has gone on. With the way the Magic are constructed, he is vital to their chances to compete and eventually win.
Anthony was efficient with his scoring to get 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting. But his five turnovers stood out. He said after the game that playing Ben Simmons was a huge challenge for him and he struggled with it in almost every way.
It would have been nice to see R.J. Hampton get a triple-double, even if it would have been the emptiest triple-double in NBA history. Hampton finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. That kind of activity and energy is certainly welcomed.
He is always playing hard and always getting after things. The good news is that he does not care about the score and is always getting after it. Hampton’s growth has been the best part of the post-trade deadline play.
Hampton had six points, five rebounds and five assists at halftime. So there is definitely something to his triple-double potential. This will not be the last time he flirts with that statistical milestone.
Ignas Brazdeikis was really the only player who played well consistently throughout the game. Brazdeikis scored a career-high 21 points, making 9 of 12 shots and three of five 3-pointers. He was available and hitting his shots consistently throughout the game. The one guy that was doing that, including 10 points and a perfect 4-for-4 shooting in the first quarter.
Brazdeikis is definitely fighting for his NBA life. He needs games like this to prove his place. If his 3-point shot can get consistent, he might well have a chance to find a home. Otherwise, he will remain on the fringes.
The Philadelphia 76ers did what they had to do to wrap up the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They did not need a stellar effort from Joel Embiid to do it either (13 points, 11 rebounds). Instead, they just had balance from Seth Curry (20 points, 4-for-5 shooting from deep). Shake Milton added 15 off the bench as the reserves took over and maintained a sizable lead. This is what is supposed to happen when the best team in the conference faces the worst.
The Magic fall to 21-50, 14th in the Eastern Conference and the third-worst record in the league. The Magic finish their season Sunday against the 76ers.