The top 10 games of the Orlando Magic’s 2021 season
Top 10 Orlando Magic Games of 2021 Season
2. Clippers Comeback — at LA Clippers (March 30)
38. 96. 77. Final. 103
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Effort is a good place for Orlando Magic to restart
The problem with young teams is usually about consistency. Nobody really knows what to expect from a night-to-night basis. As young teams learn consistency and how to play together, the hope is they show some signs and steal some wins that point toward a brighter future.
Even now, as the Orlando Magic prepare to start up with a new coach and kick their rebuild off, they are probably looking to have games and play with the effort and frenetic energy that helped them steal a win at STAPLES Center against the LA Clippers.
What started out as a regular mid-season game with the more dominant Clippers racing out to a double-digit lead quickly turned into something else.
Orlando was still not used to playing with each other after the trade deadline, having departed on a West Coast trip a few days after the big moves. They were playing on a basic strategy — pressure the ball, try to create turnovers and run. It really felt like this style would suit them as they delivered some surprising early returns.
Things would settle in. But the game against the Clippers was the first win since the deadline and a proof of concept that the Magic had some solid players to work with.
Orlando chipped away at the lead and got strong performances off the bench with Terrence Ross and Otto Porter leading the way with 15 and 13 points. Wendell Carter came off the bench but finished the game with a slew of strong blocks.
Chuma Okeke was the brightest spot with 18 points, taking on Kawhi Leonard with gusto as the Magic just kept pestering the Clippers.
In the end, though, it was their defense that delivered the win. Whether it was Wendell Carter’s blocks or Michael Carter-Williams coming with huge plays, the Clippers just kept coming up empty and the Magic continued to put the pressure on them.
If there is a game that should be a preview for how the Magic should play moving forward, it should be this one. They got into the ball and made the Clippers’ life miserable squeezing just enough high-octane offense to run away with the game in the end.