Nothing like the arrival of the Grizzlies to rediscover the taste of victory. This is what the Magic players must be saying to themselves since they made short work of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s teammates with a 30-point victory (118-88). The observation round lasted only six minutes. Time for Jalen Suggs and Joe Ingles to sign a 15-0 to increase the score from 9-9 to 24-9! The movement and percussion of the Magic destabilize the Memphis defense, and the 3-point shooters are in a position to hit the mark. On the other side of the field, Wendell Carter Jr. disgusts all the Grizzlies' offenses with his defense, and his throws are precise.
After twelve minutes, there are already 20 points in advance (33-13), and the festival continues with Cole Anthony in charge, and Franz Wagner. After only two minutes in the 2nd quarter, the gap flirted with 30 points in advance… Fortunately, Orlando took its foot off the accelerator, and GG Jackson and the returning Brandon Clarke limited the damage: 58 -34 to half-time.
Unsurprisingly, the second half was of the same order, and the Magic were up to 43 points ahead in the middle of the 3rd quarter. At the finish, a big victory, with skill, rhythm and the possibility of recharging the batteries after a complicated week.
What you must remember
– The Magic on the heels of the Knicks. This Sunday morning, the Magic have 43 victories on the clock, and that hasn't happened to them since 2011! What we remember is that Orlando remains in the race for 4th place, held by the Knicks with one more victory. A 4th place, synonymous with an advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
– Jaren Jackson Jr. transparent. The Grizzlies have been decimated for several months, and to make matters worse, Jaren Jackson Jr. is only a shadow of himself. Both physically and mentally, the former best defender in the NBA let go, and last night, he scored 4 points on 1 of 9 shots, with 3 lost balls. Already against the Nuggets and the Lakers, he had shown signs of fatigue.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
