The Orlando Magic knew things were unraveling in the second quarter.
The turnovers were piling up. Andrew Wiggins and Nemanja Bjelica were getting loose from deep as the team tried to scramble with their switching to cover for Stephen Curry. The deficit was beginning to grow.
The Magic’s shots were not falling and nothing they seemed to do could work. They were forcing the ball and digging themselves deeper into the hole.
The Orlando Magic knew it would be a long climb to beat the Golden State Warriors on the road Monday. They would have to play pretty close to perfect to have their shot at the win. And as things began to unravel, they were trying hard to stay in it.
The Golden State Warriors forced the Orlando Magic into mistake after mistake, forcing the young team into a deep deficit the team could not climb out of in a blowout loss.
Still, that feeling was hard to shake and hard to slow down. Orlando never found its center in a 126-95 loss to Golden State. The Warriors took the advantage and never let go burying the Magic in their own mistakes.
"“I think we have to have a clear mind when we are playing basketball,” R.J. Hampton said after Monday’s loss. “A clear mind when shots go in or we make mistakes. it’s a next play mentality. That’s what we have to do and that’s what we’re going to continue to build and grow on. We can’t hang our heads over made shots or turnovers, we have to get it back.”"
Hampton said the Magic as a group have to do a better job picking each other back up and staying with the game plan. That can be easier said than done. Especially in a game like this one.
When the Magic are playing the very best teams in the league, it does not take a whole lot to tip the scales from a chance to win to a blowout defeat.
Silly and simple mistakes were always going to be nearly fatal against a team like Golden State. The Warriors pounce on every mistake and force you into even more once you get into catch-up mode against them.
The way back into the game is not to play fast and get it all back at once. No team can outshoot the Warriors when they are on a roll. Golden State is just a master at getting teams to play to its pace, putting opponents right where it wants them. The Magic were no different.
The Warriors went on a 22-7 run in the final 6.5 minutes of the second quarter to put the game firmly away and make a close game a blowout.
It was turnovers — 16 points off seven Magic turnovers — that cost the Magic again. Orlando had no answers except to keep making mistakes that made things much worse.
"“You can’t turn the ball over against this team,” Gary Harris said after Monday’s loss. “They play at such a high level. We can’t give them extra possessions. They had 38 points off turnovers and that’s the game right there.”"
Only, that is not how a team like Orlando has to play. The Magic have come back from plenty of deficits this year to know exactly how to control these falls.
They know exactly what it takes to climb out and the level of execution it takes to play at that high a level.
Of course, none of those teams are the Warriors with their constant threat from beyond the arc or the defense to stifle teams to boot.
The Magic were rarely trying to make bad plays. There is still that clear desire to win and make the right plays. Coach Jamahl Mosley said he did not feel many of the team’s turnovers came from selfishness but from players trying to make the right play or kick it to the corner, only to find the Warriors’ defense swarming them and deflecting the pass before it can get there.
"“We’ve proven we can continue to fight and get back into games,” Mosley said after Monday’s loss. “What I think is they turned it up a little bit and their pressure got to us a little bit. It’s one of those things where we will have to go back to film and see where those simple plays could have been made.”"
Still, the disappointment of self-inflicted wounds and sped-up play hurts for a team trying to make progress. Turnovers have been a consistent story of late and they were especially bad in this one.
There is no way for a team like the Magic to overcome 23 turnovers for 38 Warriors points. Orlando simply cannot beat itself like that and expect to win.
"“Thats’ the name of the game,” Hampton said after Monday’s loss. “I think turnovers killed us tonight. Myself, in particularly. Just having to take care of the ball. The Warriors are a great team and they are great at capitalizing off those transition points and those turnovers. I think we have to do a better job taking care of the ball and as a group the same thing.”"
The individual turnover numbers were indeed staggering.
Hampton committed six turnovers on his way to 16 points in the game. Cole Anthony, in an unusual off game (nine points on 3-for-11 shooting), had four. Terrence Ross and Mo Bamba each had three.
All those add up in the end. And the Warriors were a team that took those miscues and turned them into points, scoring 13 fast-break points in addition to and conjunction with those 38 points off turnovers.
Again, with the Magic’s turnovers, it is still more the opportunity lost to score than it is those miscues leading directly and quickly into points on the other end. Golden State is not a team to give extra opportunities to.
The Magic had some encouraging play and got good efforts especially from Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter to keep attacking. But too often the team would break off what was working and what would be necessary to win or come back and kept getting caught in the same traps with no ability to get out.
Considering the turnovers and protecting possessions were key points of emphasis entering the game, it is frustrating to see the same problem pop up. The Magic will have that to work through.
Especially as the team develops its style. Far too often of late and throughout the season, the Magic have been caught on their back foot.
"“We’ve got to play our game,” Harris said after Monday’s game. “We can’t get caught up playing the game they want us to play. Just slowing down and playing our game and having teams adjust to us instead of always having to adjust to other teams.”"
There is a lot to learn still. And figuring out how to keep fighting and pushing and recentering themselves is a key part of that growth process for a young team. Figuring that part out will be a big key to unlocking this team’s true potential.
How a team handles mistakes is key to their development. It has long been a point of emphasis throughout the season.
The Magic did not handle it well against one of the league’s best and got crushed for it.