Savage: Magic-Pacers Postgame Analysis
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By Dan Savage
November 20, 2010
The Orlando Magic once again came away with a road victory in thrilling fashion.
After cutting down the Nets courtesy of a game-winning floater with 4.1 seconds left exactly one week ago, Jameer Nelson repeated history against the Pacers on Saturday.
Mighty Mouse attacked T.J. Ford and delivered a go-ahead hoop-and-harm baseline floater over Roy Hibbert with 33.6 ticks remaining to lift Orlando to their fourth straight victory, a 90-86 triumph over Indiana.
“He made a good play and turned the corner, (even though) I thought T.J. Ford played good defense,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s funny, it wasn’t the same play (as last week), but it was the same shot really – that little step-back, going to his left.”
Vince Carter helped seal the deal with two critical free throws with 9.8 seconds left that put the game out of the Pacers’ grasp.
However, the only reason the Magic were in a position to pull out such a win was the sensational second-half show put on by Dwight Howard.
After struggling in the first half, notching a mere six points and two rebounds, Dwight Howard dominated Indiana down the stretch.
Orlando’s Superman erupted for 14 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter.
“I thought Dwight just turned the whole game around,” Van Gundy explained. “He had a tough first half and was in foul trouble and then he gets 19 (points) and 10 (rebounds) in the second half.”
For Orlando the triumph was their fifth grind-it-out win in eight contests.
While it may have Magic fans on the phone with their cardiologist, it’s helped this ballclub get used to playing in tight games, which is something that could pay dividends in the postseason.
“The positive side of this is that you’re going to be in a lot of these kind of games come the end of the season and playoff time,” Van Gundy said. “You have to learn how to win these, particularly on the road.”
A blowout likely won’t be in the cards for the Magic in their next affair when they take on the Spurs, winners of nine straight games.
But before we move on to that contest, let’s take a look at what went right, what went wrong and final observations from Orlando’s narrow triumph over Indiana.
READ REST OF ANALYSIS
November 20, 2010
The Orlando Magic once again came away with a road victory in thrilling fashion.
After cutting down the Nets courtesy of a game-winning floater with 4.1 seconds left exactly one week ago, Jameer Nelson repeated history against the Pacers on Saturday.
Mighty Mouse attacked T.J. Ford and delivered a go-ahead hoop-and-harm baseline floater over Roy Hibbert with 33.6 ticks remaining to lift Orlando to their fourth straight victory, a 90-86 triumph over Indiana.
“He made a good play and turned the corner, (even though) I thought T.J. Ford played good defense,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s funny, it wasn’t the same play (as last week), but it was the same shot really – that little step-back, going to his left.”
Vince Carter helped seal the deal with two critical free throws with 9.8 seconds left that put the game out of the Pacers’ grasp.
However, the only reason the Magic were in a position to pull out such a win was the sensational second-half show put on by Dwight Howard.
After struggling in the first half, notching a mere six points and two rebounds, Dwight Howard dominated Indiana down the stretch.
Orlando’s Superman erupted for 14 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter.
“I thought Dwight just turned the whole game around,” Van Gundy explained. “He had a tough first half and was in foul trouble and then he gets 19 (points) and 10 (rebounds) in the second half.”
For Orlando the triumph was their fifth grind-it-out win in eight contests.
While it may have Magic fans on the phone with their cardiologist, it’s helped this ballclub get used to playing in tight games, which is something that could pay dividends in the postseason.
“The positive side of this is that you’re going to be in a lot of these kind of games come the end of the season and playoff time,” Van Gundy said. “You have to learn how to win these, particularly on the road.”
A blowout likely won’t be in the cards for the Magic in their next affair when they take on the Spurs, winners of nine straight games.
But before we move on to that contest, let’s take a look at what went right, what went wrong and final observations from Orlando’s narrow triumph over Indiana.
READ REST OF ANALYSIS
