Yardbarker.com
Led by Hedo Turkoglu’s 13-point, 17-assist performance, the Magic were able to overcome a very poor defensive performance and a 16-point first half deficit to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 117-107. The Mavericks got off to a hot start, taking a 28-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. They extended the lead to 50-34 on two Shawn Marion free throws with 3:03 to play in the first half but the Magic used a barrage of 3-pointers – Jason Richardson had 9 points (he drew foul on a 3-point attempt and mad two 3-pointers) in the last 1:49 – to cut the lead to just six at the break. The Magic continued to cut into the lead and even took the a one-point lead on a Gilbert Arenas 3-pointer with 1:05 to go in the third quarter but they entered the fourth quarter trailing by a point. The Magic came out on fire in the final quarter, starting the quarter on a 28-7 run to take a 108-88 lead before eventually holding on for a 10-point victory.
Dwight Howard had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Magic while DeShawn Stevenson led the Mavericks with 23 points.
After the jump, you can more about Orlando’s victory.
- Turkoglu didn’t just score 13 points and dish out 17 assists but he had 5 steals, 3 rebounds and a block. It’s incredible the way he has performed for this team. He is clearly getting his teammates involved in nearly every way possible and is running the pick-and-roll to near perfection. He ran the pick-and-roll with Howard to death in the fourth quarter an it absolutely killed the Mavericks Saturday night.
- Despite the absence of Dirk Nowitzki, it was great to see the Magic hang tough and rally from a 16-point deficit. Their run, which was led by Richardson, at the end of the first half really sparked the comeback and allowed the Magic to head into the break with a lot more confidence.
- Richardson finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting and was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
- It wasn’t all good for the Magic. They had a very poor defensive performance and their pick-and-roll defense on Jason Kidd and Jason Terry could have been described as “pathetic” on several occasions. The Mavericks posted an effective field goal percentage of 61.8% and wound up with an extremely efficient performance.
- Luckily for the Magic, they posted an effective field goal percentage of 60.5% and their offense was even more efficient. The Magic hit 14 3-pointers, outrebounded the Mavericks 38-34 and turned it over only 13 times.
- Seven of Orlando’s eight players scored in double figures and the only who didn’t, J.J. Redick, scored 9 points.
- The Magic tied a franchise record with their ninth straight win.
Next Up: The Magic will travel to New Orleans to take on the Hornets Wednesday night.
Final Thought: There are certainly problems with this team and the defense was a big issue Saturday night, but they just keep winning.
(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and ESPN 1080′s Magic Insider (http://espn1080.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).
Tags: Brandon Bass, dallas mavericks, Dwight Howard, gilbert arenas, j.j. redick, jameer nelson, Jason Kidd, jason richardson, jason terry, Orlando Magic
Loading ...
FanSided
Magic Basketball Online
