New York Knicks vs Orlando Magic Match Player Stats On Nov 08, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 8, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points and Evan Fournier added 23 to lead the Orlando Magic to a 112-99 victory over the short-handed New York Knicks on Wednesday night at the Amway Center.

The Knicks (6-5) were without star forward Kristaps Porzingis, who is averaging 30 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 51 percent from the field. Porzingis has a slight left ankle sprain and a bruised right elbow.

The Magic (7-4) snapped a two-game losing streak.

Orlando's Aaron Gordon had 21 points and hit four of his six 3-point shots. Elfrid Payton, who missed the previous eight games with a hamstring strain, returned to contribute 11 points and 11 assists, bringing stability back to the offense.

Reserve Jonathon Simmons scored 16 points, including 11 early in the fourth quarter when the Magic took control.

New York was not the same without Porzingis.

Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Knicks with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. Reserve Doug McDermott had 13 points, Courtney Lee 12 and Enes Kanter 10.

The Knicks shot 52.5 percent from the field (42 of 80) but were hurt by 23 turnovers.

The Magic made 53.8 percent of their field-goal attempts (43 of 80) and gave the ball away 13 times.

Simmons scored 11 points in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, upping the Magic lead to 97-86. They boosted the lead to 16 points on another 3-pointer by Fournier.

Gordon hit a trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter when the Magic led by as many as 10 points. They took a 84-76 advantage into the fourth.

The Magic led 54-50 at halftime after Vucevic scored 15 points and Fourier had 14 points and five steals. The Magic led by as many as nine points in the first quarter.

The Knicks led by six points midway in the second quarter. Hardaway had 11 points by halftime.

The Knicks had a 22-13 rebound edge in the first half, but they had 14 turnovers.

NOTES: F Kristaps Porzingis is expected back Saturday when the Knicks return to action against Sacramento. ... New York fans have become so excited about Porzingis that at least one of them wrote his name on the ballot for New York City mayor in Tuesday's election, according to the New York Daily News. ... Porzingis started the season with 300 points in the first 10 games, the best start for anyone in team history. ... The Magic open a four-game West Coast trip Friday night in Phoenix, where they have lost six of their last eight. ... Magic F Evan Fournier hit an early 3-pointer, giving him 36 consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer, the third-longest active streak in the league. ... The Knicks were coming off back-to-back victories that included deficits of at least 15 points, the first time they had accomplished that feat since 2006.