By John Denton
Nov. 3, 2016
ORLANDO – Slowly, but surely, an Orlando Magic roster loaded with so many new faces that they nearly needed nametags in training camp, is developing the kind of chemistry and cohesion that can help it cull its full potential over a long season.
That was noticeably apparent on both ends of the floor on Thursday as the Magic executed with precision offensively and dug in defensively to win their first home game of the season.
Riding the hot shooting of Evan Fournier, the defense of Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo and the energy off the bench provided by Jeff Green and D.J. Augustin, the Magic grabbed control in the second quarter and never lost it in a 102-94 defeat of the Sacramento Kings.
“The chemistry is coming along and I thought tonight was our best showing with how we can play and we were a little more consistent,’’ said center Nikola Vucevic, who had two of the biggest plays of the night after Sacramento had pulled to within two points of the Magic with 4:48 to play. “When we’re moving the ball and making unselfish plays for one another, that’s how we have to play.’’
Orlando (2-3) opened the season with frustrating losses to Miami, Detroit and Cleveland, but it has since responded with defeats of Philadelphia and Sacramento (2-4). On Thursday, Orlando shot an efficient 45.2 percent from the field, drilled 10 3-pointers and outworked the Kings on the boards to the tune of a 23-13 advantage in second-chance points.
“I believe in this team, I’m not surprised that we won and I’m happy that we won,’’ said head coach Frank Vogel, another of the Magic’s newcomers. “There are no guarantees early in the season, but these guys are working to come together and jell on the court to try and do what I’m asking them to do. That takes a little time and it’s a process, but we took a positive step tonight.’’
Slow starters all season, the Magic have trailed by at least eight points in every game, and that was the case again on Thursday. However, they grabbed the game by the throat in a pulsating 33-21 second quarter. From there, the Magic led by as much as 13 and never blinked down the stretch even though all-star center DeMarcus Cousins (33 points and seven rebounds) threw repeated haymakers at them.
Fournier, one of six returning players from last season after re-signing with Orlando in July, made 10 of 15 shots and three of seven 3-pointers for a team-best 29 points.
“(The chemistry) is better, obviously, and we were pretty good defensively and the key is that we started the game pretty well,’’ Fournier said. “The last four games we’ve started super flat and we’ve had 10-point deficits by the (end of the) first quarter. Starting better was a big key in my opinion.’’
Newcomers Ibaka (17 points) and Biyombo (four points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots) fought inside all night against Cousins. Because he was suspended for the home-opener and the Magic’s last three games have been on the road, Biyombo played his first regular-season game at the Amway Center on Thursday, and he loved every second of it.
“As small of a play as you can imagine, when the second group comes on it can change the crowd and the whole intensity of the game,’’ Biyombo said of the noise the 17.026 fans made during Orlando’s game-turning, 33-21 burst in the second quarter. “We’re in this to win and we’ll do whatever it takes to win the game.’’
Battling though shoulder pain all night, Vucevic (10 points and nine rebounds) scored on a tough turn-around hook shot with 4:28 to play after Sacramento had drawn to within 94-92. He followed that up with a nifty pass that led to two free throws for Aaron Gordon (13 points and 10 rebounds). He struggled from the free throw line all night (two of six), but he also pitched in defending Cousins and he was clutch late.
Green (15 points and three 3-pointers) and Augustin (eight points and two 3-pointers) – two of the veterans the Magic signed in the offseason to make the team deeper and more experienced – combined for 16 of Orlando’s 33 points in the game-turning second quarter.
“Sometimes, if things aren’t going our way, guys might lose focus or get distracted, but it’s our job on the bench to stay with it and talk about what’s going on on the court,’’ said Augustin, who scored his eight points in 14 minutes. “We stayed locked in and it paid off tonight.’’
Cousins made 12 of 20 shots and eight of nine free throws, but the Kings – losers of three straight on this East Coast road trip – had little else going offensively. Rudy Gay scored 16 points, while point guard Ty Lawson chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
“We went through some lulls and (the Magic) got what they wanted,’’ Gay said. “We have to be a better team than that.’’
The Magic were coming off an emotional 103-101 victory in Philadelphia on Tuesday, one where they used a stirring rally in the fourth quarter for the first win of the season. Now, they have their first two-game winning streak so far.
Orlando will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts Southeast Division rival Washington. The Wizards and all-star point guard John Wall have long been tormentors of the Magic, beating them 12 straight times over the previous three seasons.
Now, with a host of veterans on the roster following a busy summer, the Magic feel as if they have the point guard depth and the shot-blocking to keep Wall away from the rim.
Orlando threatened to turn the game into a laughter in the third quarter, building a lead as large as 13. However, the Magic had trouble slowing Cousins late in the period and they headed into the fourth up just 84-78.
Down as much as eight points in a first quarter dominated by Cousins and Gay, the Magic turned the game around with a second-period performance that allowed them to take a 56-50 lead into halftime.
Orlando got huge lifts off the bench from Augustin, Biyombo and Green – busts that allowed it to outscore the Kings 33-21 in the second quarter.
During one momentum-turning stretch, Augustin had step-back 3-pointers sandwiched around a Green dunk that was set up by Biyombo stuffing an Omri Casspi dunk attempt. That burst got the Magic tied and five more 3-pointers (Green 2, Ibaka 1, Gordon 1 and Fournier 1) allowed them to surge into a lead they would not surrender the rest of the night.
Cousins scored 10 of Sacramento’s first 14 points in the early going, but the Magic quickly got Biyombo into the game for defensive purposes. Cousins pumped in 14 first-quarter points, but in the second he was held scoreless, committed an offensive foul and turned the ball over twice.
“It’s a long season, we’ve all got to learn, we’ve all got to grow and we’ve all got to improve,’’ Biyombo said. “Still, it feels good to get my first (home) win and I look forward to a lot more. With the way that we played (on Thursday) we have to bring that against Washington (on Saturday) and keep it going.’’
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.
