The Lead
Chuma Okeke scored a career-high 26 points while stuffing the rest of the stat sheet with nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block, and R.J. Hampton recorded 11 points, five boards and four dimes in his first game back from a knee injury as the Orlando Magic pulled away from the Houston Rockets late for a 119-111 victory on Friday night at Amway Center.
Clutch Moments
Inside of four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Okeke made three straight buckets to kick off an 11-2 Magic run. The last of them was a 3-pointer, one of five he made throughout the game. On Orlando’s next possession, Franz Wagner connected on a driving layup and then Wendell Carter Jr., who picked up where he left off before the All-Star break with 24 points and 12 rebounds, buried a pair of free throws to extend Orlando’s lead to double digits.
Key Stats
Orlando’s reserves outscored Houston’s bench 59-33. The 29 free throws the Magic took was tied for their fourth most this season. The Magic outscored the Rockets by 13 in the second quarter after trailing by as many as 14 early.
Quote of the Night
“This is for the whole team, but I feel like whenever I play well, it gives us a better chance of winning as well. Coaches always say this is just a miss or make league, so you just control what you can control, so I know I can always control my energy, my effort and how I play on defense. You can’t control if the shots (are) going in. That happens with the work before games and in the gym – after practice and before practice.” - Okeke
Injury Report
Moe Wagner (left rib contusion), Markelle Fultz (left knee), Jonathan Isaac (left knee), and Bol Bol (foot) were out for Orlando. John Wall (personal reasons) and Usman Garuba (wrist) were unavailable for Houston.
This Day in History
On Feb. 25, 2009 at Madison Square Garden, Hedo Turkoglu scored 33 points and Dwight Howard registered 24 points, 21 rebounds and four blocks in Orlando’s victory over the New York Knicks. Although he missed two crucial 3-pointers late, Nate Robinson led the Knicks with 32 points, while Wilson Chandler scored 27 and Al Harrington, who played with the Magic a few years later, had 26.
Rivals Report
The Rockets feature some promising young talent, including Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-4, 178-pounder has scored in double figures in 11 straight games, including on Friday in Orlando where he posted 23 points. For Houston to make substantial progress the rest of the season, though, they must improve on the defensive end, where they rank last in the league in both opponent points off turnovers and opponent fast break points, and next to last in opponent points in the paint.
Up Next
The Indiana Pacers come to town early next week for two consecutive games against the Magic at Amway Center. The first of them will take place on Monday at 7 p.m. These two clubs last met on Feb. 2 in Indiana, where the Magic staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Pacers. Carter Jr. recorded 19 points and 18 rebounds, while Gary Harris, who grew up in the Hoosier State, hit six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points.