Field Level Media
Dec 4, 2018
Orlando's defense shut down the Miami Heat in the third quarter, and the Magic overcame poor first-half shooting to cap off a six-game road trip with a 105-90 win Tuesday.
The Magic turned the tables on Miami in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat 30-12. It was Miami's lowest point total in a quarter this season, and Orlando took a 76-62 lead after three quarters.
The Magic held off a Miami comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Kelly Olynyk made three 3-pointers in a row to cut the deficit to 81-75, but the Heat could never trim the lead to fewer than six points.
Aaron Gordon scored 16 of his 20 points in the critical third quarter. Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Terrence Ross added 19 points off the bench for Orlando.
Orlando missed 15 consecutive field-goal attempts over an eight-minute stretch in the first and second quarters, but the 3-point shot kept the Magic in the game early.
Orlando went 7-for-10 from the 3-point arc in the first half and trailed only 50-46 at halftime despite shooting just 40 percent from the field.
Magic rookie Mo Bamba broke the field-goal drought when he tipped in a Gordon miss with seven minutes left in the second quarter. That ended a 14-1 run by the Heat with Hassan Whiteside resting on the bench.
Whiteside got off to a hot start with 10 points and six rebounds in the first quarter but finished the game with just 12 points and nine rebounds.
Justise Winslow led Miami with 14 points, and Olynyk added 13 points.
Tyler Johnson and Derrick Jones Jr. returned from injury for Miami. Johnson had missed the past six games and Jones the past two, both with hamstring ailments.
The Heat were forced to play without a point guard during those six games as Goran Dragic remains sidelined with a knee injury. Dragic missed his eighth straight game, and Dion Waiters (ankle) has yet to play a game this season.
The Magic play their first home game in over two weeks against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Miami begins an 11-day, six-game road trip on Thursday at Phoenix.
--Field Level Media