Field Level Media
Jan 8, 2020
Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and nine rebounds, and the Orlando Magic routed the visiting Washington Wizards 123-89 on Wednesday night.
Evan Fournier added 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting for Orlando, which has won four of five. D.J. Augustin added 18 points off the bench. Khem Birch had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Reserves Troy Brown Jr. and Admiral Schofield led Washington with 18 points each and Brown added 11 rebounds and five assists. Anzejs Pasecniks added 16 for the Wizards, who came in having won two straight games over Denver and Boston.
Washington starters combined for only 28 points on 12-of-33 shooting. Overall, the Wizards shot 42.9 percent -- including going 6 of 23 from 3-point range -- while the Magic managed 49.4 percent.
The Wizards committed 23 turnovers to 17 for the Magic. Orlando outrebounded Washington 51-40.
Wizards guard Bradley Beal missed his fourth straight game with lower right leg soreness. The Wizards remain without a group of regulars that includes Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans among others.
The Wizards led 47-46 after Ish Smith hit a 3-pointer with 5:22 left in the first half.
Fournier's 3-pointer then put the Magic up and started an extended run. Aaron Gordon's three-point play made it 61-50 and Vucevic's dunk with nine seconds left completed a 23-5 stretch that sent Orlando into halftime up 69-52.
The Magic shot 56.1 percent in the half (23 of 41) and Fournier had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Vucevic hit a 3-pointer early in the third to push the lead to 20, and after an 11-0 run capped by Markelle Fultz's alley-oop layup the lead was 83-54 with 7:48 left in the third quarter.
Orlando cruised into the fourth quarter with a 25-point lead and increased it to as many as 36 points in the final quarter.
--Field Level Media