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10 things to know, with the NBA regular season in the books
Read full article: 10 things to know, with the NBA regular season in the booksRussell Westbrook had more triple-doubles than almost any trio of NBA players, free-throw shooting was better than ever and 3-point shooting was more prolific than ever once again.
Hornets top Magic 122-112, inch closer to play-in tournament
Read full article: Hornets top Magic 122-112, inch closer to play-in tournamentTerry Rozier scored 28 points, LaMelo Ball added 26 points and the Charlotte Hornets inched closer to securing a spot in the play-in tournament with a 122-112 win over the Orlando Magic.
Walker scores 32 in return from injury, Celtics rout Magic
Read full article: Walker scores 32 in return from injury, Celtics rout MagicKemba Walker returned from a four-game injury absence and tied a season high with 32 points and Evan Fournier had 18 points in his first game back in Orlando since being traded as the Boston Celtics routed the Magic 132-96.
Anthony’s 3-pointer gives Magic 112-111 win over Grizzlies
Read full article: Anthony’s 3-pointer gives Magic 112-111 win over GrizzliesCole Anthony made a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining, giving him a career-best 26 points, and the Orlando Magic defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 112-111 on Saturday night.
Magic rookie Cannady’ breaks ankle in loss to Pacers
Read full article: Magic rookie Cannady’ breaks ankle in loss to PacersMalcolm Brogdon scored 24 points and the Indiana Pacers used a big third quarter to rout short-handed Orlando 131-112 on Sunday night in a game marred by Magic rookie Devin Cannady’s gruesome ankle injury.
Powell scores 22 in Portland debut as Blazers topple Magic
Read full article: Powell scores 22 in Portland debut as Blazers topple MagicNewly acquired guard Norman Powell scored 22 points and hit five 3-pointers in his Portland debut, and C.J. Portland won for a second night in a row and improved to 14-6 this season in back-to-back sets of games. Orlando rookie Chuma Okeke scored a career-best 22 points by making 9 of 15 shots and 4 of 6 3-pointers. Coincidentally, his father, Gary Trent, was also dealt from Portland to Toronto halfway through his third NBA season in 1998. Magic: Guard Michael Carter-Williams (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup, but entered the midway through the first period, while Terrence Ross (sore knee) missed his sixth straight game.
Spurs dominate second half to beat short-handed Magic
Read full article: Spurs dominate second half to beat short-handed MagicSAN ANTONIO – San Antonio played its first home game with fans and welcomed back four players who sat almost a month due to COVID-19 protocols. San Antonio held an opponent under 80 points for the first time since beating Golden State 89-75 on March 19, 2018. While that quartet returned fully, San Antonio was without veterans DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio is attempting to trade Aldridge after agreeing to part ways with the veteran forward after his role was lessened. … San Antonio is 16-2 when leading by 10 points at any time in the game.
Heat top Magic 111-103, get over .500 for 1st time this year
Read full article: Heat top Magic 111-103, get over .500 for 1st time this yearMIAMI – For the first time this season, the Miami Heat have a winning record. Miami opened the season with a loss to Orlando, and had gone 0-6 in opportunities this season to move over .500 — until Thursday. Tyler Herro scored 17 points, Kendrick Nunn had 13 and Goran Dragic added 11 for the Heat. All-Star Nikola Vucevic finished with 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped six straight. MAGIC CHAMPSOrlando’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, won that league’s championship Thursday by topping the Philadelphia-affiliated Delaware Blue Coats.
NBA-leading Jazz rebound from loss to beat Magic
Read full article: NBA-leading Jazz rebound from loss to beat MagicORLANDO, Fla. – Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Joe Ingles filled in well again at point guard in place of Mike Conley to help the Utah Jazz beat the Orlando Magic 124-109 on Saturday night. Utah bounced back from a loss a night earlier in Miami, improving to 6-1 following a defeat. The NBA-leading Jazz have lost consecutive games just once all season and not since Jan. 6 when they were 4-4. The Jazz led my 19 in the fourth quarter and improved to 25-0 when leading after three periods. Magic All-Star center Nikola Vucevic scored 34 points, but missed out on his 24th double-double by two rebounds.
Booker, Suns roll to 6th straight win, beating Magic 109-90
Read full article: Booker, Suns roll to 6th straight win, beating Magic 109-90(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)PHOENIX – Devin Booker scored 27 points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and the Phoenix Suns cruised to their sixth straight victory, beating the Orlando Magic 109-90 on Sunday night. Booker scored 17 points in the first quarter on 8-of-10 shooting, including a 30-foot 3-pointer, and the Suns took a 28-16 lead. Phoenix scored the first six points of the second half and pushed ahead 80-55 after Jae Crowder hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Chris Paul added 12 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Suns: Booker is averaged 28.3 points and shooting 54.7% during the seven-game homestand that ends Tuesday.
LaVine scores 39 points to lift Bulls past Magic, 118-92
Read full article: LaVine scores 39 points to lift Bulls past Magic, 118-92ORLANDO, Fla. – Zach LaVine bounced back from a poor performance a night earlier and scored 39 points Saturday as the Chicago Bulls routed the injury-plagued Orlando Magic 118-92. He scored 22 points in the first half and chipped in seven rebounds and four assists as the Bulls snapped a two-game losing streak. Orlando's Nikola Vucevic, who scored a career-best 43 points in Friday’s win, had 17 points and eight rebounds. The guard, who entered the night 10th in the NBA with 26.5 points per game, had another 12 points before exiting for good. Rookie Patrick Williams chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Coby White added 13 points.
Rookie PG Anthony scores career-best 21 , Magic beat Hornets
Read full article: Rookie PG Anthony scores career-best 21 , Magic beat HornetsORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Magic rookie point guard Cole Anthony is getting more comfortable the more he plays in the NBA. Anthony’s comfort level showed Monday night when he posted a career-best scoring performance and outplayed fellow rookie guard LaMelo Ball. Anthony scored a career-best 21 points and got plenty of help from center Nikola Vucevic’s 13th double-double of the season as the Magic defeated the Charlotte Hornets 117-108 to snap a two-game slide. Devonte Graham had 21 for Charlotte, which lost to the Magic for the fifth time in six meetings. “We had good momentum going into halftime and for whatever reason we came out flat in the third quarter,” Charlotte coach James Borrego said.
Harden debuts with triple-double, Durant scores 42, Nets win
Read full article: Harden debuts with triple-double, Durant scores 42, Nets win(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK – James Harden and Kevin Durant needed a little while to remember how to play together again. Once they did, the Brooklyn Nets really got rolling — and they might still get to another gear when Kyrie Irving rejoins them. Harden also had nine turnovers and Durant had six, with some sloppiness while Harden got used to his new teammates. They were much more competitive than the others, including a 124-97 loss in Boston on Friday, but didn't have enough answers for Durant or Harden. Nets: Durant has scored 25 or points in nine straight games, setting a new franchise record.
Celtics run past Magic 124-97 after week-long hiatus
Read full article: Celtics run past Magic 124-97 after week-long hiatus(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)BOSTON – Jaylen Brown had 21 points and eight assists, Semi Ojeleye added 18 points and the Boston Celtics rolled to an 124-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night in their return to action following a virus-related week-long hiatus. “It’s hectic, A whirlwind tornado you might call it," Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. But the Celtics didn’t seem to be affected by the layoff, sharing the ball and turning stops into opportunities to run the floor against an Orlando team that struggled to find a rhythm at both ends. Orlando had 13 turnovers that led to 16 Celtics' points. For the game, Boston held a 66-33 edge in bench scoring.
Fultz tears ACL, out for season; Magic beat Cavs 105-94
Read full article: Fultz tears ACL, out for season; Magic beat Cavs 105-94The Magic confirmed the ACL injury after the game and said Fultz would miss the rest of the season. Fultz signed a three-year, $50 million extension last month and was finally showing the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft as he led the Magic to a quick start this season. Terrence Ross scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Magic, who beat the Cavaliers for a second time in three nights. Collin Sexton scored 21 points for Cleveland, his eighth straight game with at least 20 points to start the season.
Vucevic has double-double as Magic beat Thunder 118-107
Read full article: Vucevic has double-double as Magic beat Thunder 118-107Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Michael Carter-Williams (7) react to a call during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)OKLAHOMA CITY – Nikola Vucevic had a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-107 Tuesday night. Oklahoma City made only 4 of 13 free throws in the fourth, thwarting the Thunder’s hopes to rally. The Magic again pushed its lead out, this time to 53-43, but Oklahoma City pulled within 60-56 by halftime. The Thunder briefly pulled even at 80-80 on a 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander but Orlando led 87-85 entering the fourth quarter.
John Wall back on floor, NBA opens preseason in empty arenas
Read full article: John Wall back on floor, NBA opens preseason in empty arenasOrlando Magic coach Steve Clifford talks to players during a timeout in the first half of the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. The NBA preseason — a truncated 49-game, nine-day sprint — opened Friday with a five-game slate, action returning to NBA arenas for the first time in exactly nine months. 8 pick Obi Toppin of the Knicks, got their first NBA minutes. Paul George had 10 for the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard managed three in 14 minutes. Both teams shot exactly 30 for 84 from the field, and none of the Clippers' starters logged even 15 minutes.