ORLANDO - It was clear during the game’s first five minutes that this was going to be the Magic’s night. Orlando was clicking on both ends of the floor – forcing turnovers, taking charges and contesting jump shots on one side while sharing the ball and playing ultra-smart on the other.
New York didn’t score a single point until Enes Kanter’s tip-in with 7:08 left in the first quarter. Prior to that bucket, the Knicks missed seven straight shots and committed four turnovers – largely due to the Magic’s smothering defense.
Meanwhile, Orlando’s crisp ball movement and excellent floor spacing set up quality shots. The Magic jumped out to a 10-0 advantage before building their lead to as much as 34 in the fourth quarter. In that Magic-dominated first half, the Knicks shot 31 percent and made just one of their 15 attempts from 3-point range.
Even when shots haven’t been falling this season, the Magic have stuck to their core principles. That includes increasing the number of times the ball touches the paint, either by way of drives, post-ups or pick-and-rolls.
Most impressive, though, is how incredibly unselfish this team has been. They continuously pass up good shots for great shots, often swinging the ball all the way around the arc until someone is wide open.
The Magic made a season-best 17 threes during Sunday’s win while matching their season high with 31 assists. Terrence Ross was scorching, making five triples and finishing with 22 points. Also hot was Jerian Grant, who drilled three from downtown and is 5-of-8 from that distance in the last two games combined. All five starters connected on at least one of their attempts from beyond the arc.
During training camp and the preseason, Steve Clifford emphasized the importance of defensive deflections. He felt strongly this team would excel in that category, largely because of their collective versatility and length.
Orlando’s ball pressure and pesky hands caused many of New York’s 19 turnovers. Even when the Knicks managed to sneak in the paint, the Magic were there to protect the basket and obstruct driving/passing lanes.
