The Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics were tight again heading into the fourth quarter.
That changed in the fourth quarter, though. The Orlando Magic fell behind. They were slow on some rotations and got caught fouling. But worse still, they were turning the ball over.
That has been the biggest problem facing this Magic team. Every issue Orlando has branches off from this turnover problem.
Orlando can clearly see how good this team can be. When it works -- and it works for long stretches -- the team can devastate opponents with their pace and power heading to the rim.
But the down moments have been equally as devastating. The Magic get stuck and caught trying to think their way through their offense. It slows to a crawl. They settle for jumpers and do not play with the force and aggression that defines it.
They give the ball away, feeding opponents' offense and giving their defense no chance to set up. They give the game away.
It has been the problem all season. And it was the problem in a 111-107 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Orlando's biggest enemy is itself and the turnovers the team commits.
As coach Jamahl Mosley repeated throughout his post game press conference, the team committed 17 turnovers for 29 points. Each mistake seemed to build and compound, handing points to the Celtics' potent but struggling offense.
"In order to get the offense moving, you got to take care of the basketball," Mosley said after Sunday's game. "Seventeen turnovers for 29 points. You're not getting too many of those games."
It was four fourth-quarter turnovers for nine Celtics points that put the Magic down by 11 points, forcing a mad scramble to get back into the game. That comeback was ultimately thwarted by tough 3-pointers from Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Jordan Walsh when the Magic closed to within one possession. The Walsh three from 13.2 seconds was the final dagger.
None of that would have mattered if the Magic had prevented the self-inflicted wounds that continue to haunt this team.
The Turnover Problem
Turnovers have been a problem all season. They are a rhythm disruptor and put the defense in a bind.
The Orlando Magic have struggled at least in part defensively because turnovers put them in a bind. And the numbers show that the Magic are not going to be able to move forward until they correct this problem.
They are simply giving away too many possessions.
In other words, the 17.9 percent turnover rate, 17 turnovers and 29 points off turnovers from Sunday's game is not an isolated incident. This has become a fairly normal occurrence for this team.
The Magic rank 24th in the league with a 16.5 percent turnover rate. They are 22nd in the league giving up 20.8 points off turnovers per game.
"Turnovers are part of the game," Suggs said after Sunday's loss. "Just try and limit them as much as we can and especially limit them in scoring off of it. I think, regardless of if we turn it over, stop the live ball ones and put an emphasis on springing back and not letting them convert on those."
The turnovers came in all varieties. The Boston Celtics are very good at forcing turnovers -- third in the league at 17.4 percent turnover rate -- and they sit in gaps. The Magic struggled to avoid going into the teeth of the defense and trusting where their teammates were to kick out.
Then there were just silly turnovers and a lack of awareness.
Among Jalen Suggs' three turnovers was a wild behind-the-back pass trying to find Wendell Carter in the corner that was easily intercepted. The Magic also got caught from behind for two back-tap steals. A frustrating lack of awareness.
There were a lot of the Celtics shooting into driving and passing lanes and ripping the ball from Magic players as they drove.
"I just think we can be better with the ball," Banchero said after Sunday's game. "We're not going to be able to run the whole game. Teams are going to adjust. They aren't going to let you play in transition all night. You have to be solid in the halfcourt."
Orlando's offense is improved. But it is not good enough to withstand these errors.
Turnovers stifle this team's progress. They deflate them completely.
Searching for a fix
There is very little moving forward if the Orlando Magic cannot resolve these turnover problems. And that is among the many questions the Magic are seeking answers for.
So where does a fix come from?
The Magic saw in Friday's game what they are capable of. They had one of their best offensive games of the season and tallied 28 assists and hit 17 3-pointers (10 more than they made Sunday). They had 15 turnovers in that game, but only 17 points off those turnovers. More than enough for the Magic to make up ground.
Making shots covers a lot of problems. And the Magic missed their share Sunday -- including going 1 for 10 in the fourth quarter, missing several open looks that could have turned the momentum and built confidence.
The Magic's offense can lock up and get stagnant. And that only feeds the turnover issue.
"The game tells you what to do," Jamahl Mosley said after Sunday's game. "If there are two people on the basketball, move it. If you are open, shoot it. It's a very simple play. It's the same thing we talked about Friday. There was rhythm to shots. Tonight, there wasn't because we played in a crowd and were loose with the basketball."
The Magic are still seeking their best rhythm.
Jalen Suggs said the team needed to play in a better flow and try to make the simple play. Sometimes that means not passing up an open shot in hopes of getting a better one. Over-passing is certainly a part of the problem.
And this team is still finding its flow together.
But the Magic's problems have less to do with the opponent than themselves. If they play without turning the ball over, they have shown how devastating they can be. It has simply happened too infrequently.
And their mistakes have buried them too much when they pop up.
It is all on them to get out of this rut.