DETROIT – Wes Iwundu has always made his hometown of Houston proud, whether he was a basketball standout at Westfield High School, playing collegiately at Kansas State University or in the NBA contributing selflessly to the Orlando Magic.
On Sunday, he disappointed his hometown in a big-time way – not that Iwundu was bothered by doing so in any way.
When the Magic withstood an offensive onslaught from star guard James Harden and toppled the Houston Rockets for their second defeat of a powerhouse team in as many nights, Iwundu was right in the middle of it with his gritty defense and fighting spirit. While Harden tied some NBA history with his 16th straight 30-point game and pumped in 38, he struggled mightily to do so. When Orlando’s on-ball defense – led by Evan Fournier and Iwundu – held Harden to 11-of-32 shooting and an abysmal one of 17 from 3-point range, Orlando was able to rally in the fourth and secure a 116-109 victory.
Considering his Houston roots, the victory was especially sweet for Iwundu, a second-year player known for his willingness to do the dirty work defensively. Not that his effort on Sunday made some of his friends and family back in Houston happy.
``A lot of my family and friends were watching the game, so I did receive a lot of text messages – a lot of upset texts that we beat the hometown team, but what can I say?’’ Iwundu said with a chuckle. ``But it was a great feeling and I want to keep building off a game like that.’’
So, too, do the Magic (19-24) when they face the Pistons (18-24) in Detroit in a game that could have extra significance. The teams are separated by just a half-game in the standings at No. 9 and No. 10 and are chasing Miami, Brooklyn and Charlotte for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
This season, Orlando and Detroit have split the first two meetings – both in Orlando – with Detroit winning 103-96 on Nov. 7 and the Magic winning 109-107 on Dec. 30 on Fournier’s buzzer-beating shot.
A win tonight could give the Magic the upper hand in gaining a potential tie-breaker over the Pistons that could come in handy if the teams finish with identical records come playoff time. They do play one more time this season – on March 28th– in Detroit, but there is still plenty of significance on tonight’s game.
``This is a big game for us,’’ said Magic forward Aaron Gordon. ``I know they’re going to be coming out with the same type of energy, so we have to outplay them.’’
Magic rookie center Mo Bamba will almost certainly be out a fourth straight game as he continues to rehabilitate his sore left foot. An MRI revealed no structural damage in the foot, and the Magic want to give the 7-foot Bamba – the No. 6 pick in last June’s NBA Draft – another two days to rebuild his conditioning. He worked with the coaching staff after the team’s shootaround on individual drills on Wednesday morning.
Khem Birch, who has played well the past three games, will continue to serve as the backup to Nikola Vucevic as the team battles Detroit center Andre Drummond.
Orlando and Detroit can relate to one another based on how their schedules have fallen of late. Just last week, the Magic ended a grueling six-game, 11-night road trip in Utah and with four straight losses – three of which they led by at least 15 points before faltering. They responded to that run of bad luck by beating Boston and Houston on consecutive nights at the Amway Center.
``This game is about being consistent and really building off these last two wins that we have gotten,’’ said guard Terrence Ross, who scored 25 and 17 points in Orlando’s last two wins. ``We have to stay focused, not get too far ahead of ourselves and be really professional tonight.’’
Similarly, Detroit wrapped up a four-game, seven-night trip through the Western Conference on Wednesday night with a loss in Utah. The Pistons’ only victory on the trip was in Los Angeles when Blake Griffin battered the Clippers – his former team of 7 ½ seasons – for 44 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Gordon’s defense on Griffin has been a big reason why the Magic have played so well against Detroit this season. In two games, he’s held the superstar power forward to 40.7 percent shooting and nights of 20 and 17 points – well below his season averages of 25.4 points and 47.7 percent shooting.
``He’s strong, so you know that you’re going to get a wrestling match,’’ Gordon said following Tuesday’s preparations for the Pistons. ``And over the years, he’s developed more skills and has become an all-around player. It’s a fun matchup, so I enjoy it.’’
Iwundu enjoyed getting to play against the Rockets and battle Harden, who is far and away the NBA’s leader in scoring. Rather than using long-armed defenders Jonathan Isaac and Gordon, the Magic stuck to a plan of putting Fournier and Iwundu on the league’s reigning MVP. Both held their own and gave Harden fits most of the night.
According to NBA.com tracking statistics, Fournier closely contested 14 shots on the night – 10 of them 3-point shots – and had one pass deflection. Iwundu contested four 3-point shots and had one of Orlando’s seven pass deflections. Harden missed his first six 3-point shots and his final 10 tries and the 16 misses from 3-point range tied an NBA record.
``Especially with the win; anytime that we win, it’s a good day. But to stop a great player like James Harden on the offensive end, it was great,’’ Iwundu said. ``I think he still had, like, 38 (points), which is crazy, but we made it tough; it was a tough 38 and we came out with the win. At the end of the day, we did the job of getting things done.’’
Iwundu grew up in Houston rooting for the Rockets and dreaming of someday playing in the NBA. On Sunday night, he played a major role in beating his hometown team and frustrating their superstar player. Admittedly, it’s a night he won’t soon forget.
``It’s like another thing to cross off my bucket list, playing against my hometown team,’’ a smiling Iwundu said. ``To win and make an impact on the game, it felt good, especially being able to hold James Harden to a tough game. I think we did everything that we needed to do as a team to get that win.
``It’s just about bringing the energy anyway that I can on both ends of the floor,’’ Iwundu said of his role for the Magic. ``My job is to go in there as a defensive stopper and try to shake things up a little bit, especially if the game is at a stagnant point. I’m just trying to bring some life and some energy to the building. It’s about me staying consistent with it, too.’’
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