Orlando Magic Blog

Group Blog talking about the NBA 2009 Eastern Conference Champions. Due to the amazing success of the 2009 playoff run comments are now frequently deleted to kill offensive comments, incoherence, or asininity. Comments can no longer be anonymous and require either a Blogger or OpenID account.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Disastrous third quarter and turnovers cost Magic in loss to GS

The Magic looked like they were well under way to another impressive win, as they shot 14 of 20 FGs in the first qtr for a 36-27 lead over GS heading into the second. The Magic inexplicably were ice-cold from that point on, making only 20 of 55 FGs (36.4%) the rest of the game, including just 12 of 34 FGs (35.3%) in the second and third qtrs. The Magic were still ahead by 8 pts at the half, and 58-49 early in the third qtr before GS went on a 27-7 tear to go ahead by 11 pts late in the third. The Magic could get only as close as 7 pts after that, and never threatened in the final qtr as the Warriors (39-23) strengthened their hold on the last playoff spot in the West with a 104-95 win over the Magic (40-24, 18-12 home).

Four Magic players scored in double figures, with three of those players scoring more than 20 pts, led by DHoward with 26 pts (8 of 14 FGs), 14 rebs, 5 blocks. However, only 5 of those pts came in the second half on 2 of 5 FGs. HTurkoglu added 23 pts (9 of 17 FGs), 5 rebs, but 7 TOs; RLewis 21 pts (9 of 18 FGs), 8 rebs; and JNelson with 10 pts (3 of 7 FGs), 5 asts. KBogans led the bench with just 4 pts (1 of 4 FGs). The Magic SGs, MEvans and Bogans, combined for just 9 pts on 3 of 10 FGs.

Baron Davis proved to be unstoppable, as he led GS with 33 pts (13 of 27 FGs), 9 rebs. Stephen Jackson added 16 pts, and Monta Ellis 14 pts.

The statistical breakdown:

FGs... GS 38 of 94 (40.4%) ORL 34 of 75 (45.3%) GS 82 ORL 78
3 PT FGs... ORL 10 of 21 (47.6%) GS 6 of 24 (25%)
FTs... GS 22 of 26 (84.6%) ORL 17 of 24 (70.8%)
REBs... GS 44 ORL 42
AST/TO... ORL 17/20 GS 16/9
BENCH... GS 22 ORL 10
STEALS... GS 14 ORL 3
FAST BREAK PTS... GS 27 ORL 7

This was the Magic's first home loss since FEB 11th to CLE and breaks the Magic's 5 game home winning streak. With the Warriors involved in such a tight playoff race out West, every game is vital to them, and they definitely wanted this game more than the Magic did, as the Magic were not up to the challenge of beating a quality team from the West. Magic are back in action MON night hosting ATL.

posted by Mike from Illinois @ 10:39 PM  

1 Comments:

  • At 6:20 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    I usually don't include steals and fastbreak pts in my statistical breakdown of games, but GS had such an advantage in these categories that I felt it should be noted.

    Also, the Warriors had 19 more shot attempts than the Magic, so even though the Magic outshot GS by 45.3% to 40.4%, GS still made 4 more FGs than the Magic.

    GS also took much better care of the ball with just 9 TOs.

    After scoring 19 pts in the first half, Howard should have gotten more than 5 FG attempts in the second half.

    Also, with Evans and Bogans both being so ineffective at SG, why not insert Redick into the game in the second half at some point? I highly doubt that this would have made a difference in the outcome of the game, though; just would have been nice to see Redick get some playing time when the guys ahead of him aren't playing so well.

    This was only the fourth game the Magic have lost all season when Howard blocks 3 or more shots in a game (he had 5 blocks).

    This would have been a good win for the Magic, but give GS credit. Magic still have won 8 out of 11 and 6 of 8; hopefully the Magic can get back to their winning ways against the Hawks, a team that has given the Magic trouble in the past.

     

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