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, November 15, 2008

Magic end long drought in Dallas with comeback win

The Magic started out terribly in the game, making just 3 of their first 17 shots and fell behind Dallas 21-17 after one quarter. Dallas scored 35 points in the second quarter for a 56-46 lead at the half. The Mavericks had their largest lead at 69-54 in the third quarter and led 80-72 going into the fourth. They led 83-72 early in the fourth before the Magic started their comeback, led by their starters. Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, and Rashard Lewis all made clutch baskets or free throws as the Magic led by two in the final ten seconds. Jason Terry's twelve-footer in the final seconds missed, and the Magic came out with their first win in Dallas since December of 1997 102-100.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 23 points (6 of 14 field goals), 9 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 21 points (9 of 18 field goals), 2 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 20 points (5 of 7 3 point field goals), 9 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 18 points (6 of 14 field goals), 13 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 12 points (4 of 10 field goals), 5 rebounds

Bench

Courtney Lee: 5 points

Dallas leading scorers

Josh Howard: 25 points
Dirk Nowitzki: 24 points
Jason Terry: 20 points

Game Stats:

FG%: DAL 43.7% (38 of 87) ORL 38.8% (33 of 85)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36% (9 of 25) DAL 31.3% (5 of 16)
FT%: DAL 82.6% (19 of 23) ORL 73.0% (27 of 37)
REB: DAL 54 (16 offensive) ORL 47 (15 offensive)
AST/TO: DAL 17/18 ORL 12/13
BENCH: DAL 32 ORL 8

Other game stats and notes:

-The Magic starters outscored the Mavericks' starters 94-68
-The Magic won the game despite the fact that Dallas outshot them from the field (44% to 39%), the free throw line (83% to 73%), outrebounded them (54-47), and had the big bench advantage
-The Magic made four more three point field goals, eight more free throws, and three fewer turnovers to help them to the victory
-The Magic starting guards outscored the Mavericks' starting guards 41-15
-The Magic bench shot a combined 3 of 17 from the field
-Anthony Johnson led the Magic with six assists; no other Magic player had more than two
-Nelson and Johnson combined for 23 points, 8 assists, 4 turnovers
-Hedo Turkoglu fouled out
-Magic outscored Dallas 19-10 to close the game

Thanks to Atlanta's 115-108 los to New Jersey, the Magic are just a half game behind the Hawks in the SE, and will try for a 3-0 road trip when they travel to Charlotte Sunday.

For the complete box score, click here

posted by Mike from Illinois @ 1:28 AM  

3 Comments:

  • At 1:57 AM, Blogger Mike from Illinois said…

    Big Figure, I re-read your three keys to the Magic winning this game. You said that Nelson needed to start fast (he didn't score in the first quarter), that the Magic needed to rebound well (they were outrebounded 54-47), and that the Magic needed to play defense (only in the fourth quarter when they held Dallas to 20 points). They were also outshot by the Mavs. Despite all that, the Magic still pulled out the win!

    I guess it says a lot when a team plays far from its best game and still wins, especially on the road.

    Great job by Lewis, Nelson, Pietrus in that fourth quarter to lead the Magic back.

    Since I wrote my post the other day about how I think Atlanta should be the favorite in the SE because of their great start, the Hawks have lost two in a row and the Magic have pulled to within a half game of them.

    Hopefully at the end of the season, everyone can tell me what an idiot I was for writing that post.

    Still a long way to go though, and I doubt that the Hawks will go away.

    The Magic need to take advantage of the schedule now, because starting around December 8th, their schedule gets extremely tough, as they will play 14 of 21 games on the road.

    Dallas and Oklahoma City, the teams the Magic have beaten on this road trip, are a combined 3-15 on the season.

     

  • At 5:24 AM, Blogger OVERWADED said…

    If there is anything we have learned, it's that this team plays well on the road.

    Again, while the Hawks are a solid team, they are not contenders. They have a nice roster, play physical, and are much improved; but they are not contenders.

    Speaking of "not contenders"; the Mavs... The Kidd trade ended them. I said it last year, and I'll continue saying it. The trade was a desperate move. After the Lakers landed Gasol for "nothing"; the Suns and Mavs fell into the trap to make a move. Both of those teams traded for older guys, and they'll both continue to fall short...

    Considering the size of Marion's contract, I'd say that the Suns took the better risk, but the Mavs parted with a young PG, who is more than legit, and at this point, more valuable that Kidd.


    With all of that said, all things considered, this was a great win on the road for the Magic. There were many factors stacked up against Orlando tonight that spelled out loss; yet the Magic still found a way to win.

    As for the Mavs, it's kinda sad considering they got jobbed just a few years ago in the Finals, punked by their ex coach, only to end up where they are…nothing but a 1st round exit(if lucky).

     

  • At 3:38 PM, Blogger Big Figure said…

    Yeah mike wild! You would think if the magic did those three things as bad as they did for three quarters there would be no chance at winning,but thanks to the mavs being so horrible for reasons intro has pointed out,the magic got really lucky on the road. I'll take it though no doubt. All the mavs have to do is inbound the ball and get up a shot and they may have beaten the magic,but just like a team who hasnt won at home all year they found a way to lose the game. I dont think they'll get a gift like that again so the magic need to start playing whole half's. Also,is it me or does it seem like when we start a game by throwing it in to dwight and he misses his first shot the magic struggle to score? Seems to me when we stand around watching dwight miss his first couple of shots that it doesnt promote ball movement which SVG says is most important for us. Dwight needs the ball but i hate watching him get the first shot of the game when he's the worst shooter in our starting five (percentages dont count since dwight gets so many dunks),anytime this happens we struggle to score and barely get to a 100. I'm more in favor of getting jameer or rashard going to start games and when you get a lead you go to your horse down low. I agree when it comes to the kidd trade,the mavs will have to re-build before they win again(at a high level).

     

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