On Sunday evening the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76er’s played in Orlando’s fifth preseason game. The crowd was electric as the Philadelphia 76er’s beat the Orlando Magic 126 to 94 at the Amway Center in Orlando FL. The Sixers came out shooting and the Magic went cold.
Poor shooting and fouls
This was the second straight game for the Magic losing at home by a sizable margin. To say the least coach Steve Clifford was not happy about the effort. Clifford did not mix words as he entered the press conference;
“So the other night, vs. Boston, was one thing. This was incredibly disappointing to me,” Clifford said. “Just how we played. Soft, just no purpose for the majority of the game. They shot 37 free throws. That alone tells you you’re not ready to play.”
“I just told them, ‘It’s not OK. I don’t care if it’s preseason or not. You’re not building the right habits, we didn’t have the right mentality and they had their way with us.’
To the point of the coach, fouls were just being handed out by the Magic. Mo Bamba getting three quick fouls and the team totaling 33 is just too many mistakes to win against a quality team such as Philadelphia. Throw in the poor shooting, 25% in first-quarter, and you have the making of a bad game.
The game got off to a quick start as Philly came out firing and the Orlando Magic went cold. Markelle Fultz started out the game strong and is looking more and more like the number one pick he once was. He was in control of the game from the beginning. Fultz finished with 12 points, five assists, and two steals in 21 minutes and six fouls. This was one of his best games in years and comes against the team that made him that number one pick in Philly. Fultz spoke on the game tonight;
“Like I said, every time I get a chance to step out on the floor it’s just truly an honor, a blessing coming from where I came from,” Fultz said. “It’s just another game for me, but definitely going out there and competing; came up short, so it would have been even better if we had gotten the win. But again, I’m just happy to be out there on the court.”
Jonathan Isaac, who had nine points and six boards, looked good in his time on the floor. He talked a little about the poor shooting;
“We’ve just got to make shots,” forward Jonathan Isaac said. “We’ve struggled these last two games to make shots. Not to, I don’t want to say overreact to it, you’ve got to take all the preseason games and we’ve shot well in others. We’ve got to make shots. You’ve got to knock them down when you’re open. It’s a make-or-miss league. Credit to Philly for limiting us and making us take tough shots.”
There were bright spots as well. After settling down for his three early fouls, Mo Bamba had a very good game. He finished with 12 points and three rebounds. D.J. Augustin also chipped in with 10 points and six assists. Looks like Augustin was in a sharing mood with that assist total, that is going to help them in the regular season.
Philly looking sharp early
Philadelphia seemed to have their game going from the start. Tobias Harris had 8 in the first quarter as he came out looking for his shot. He finished with 14 points in only 25 minutes. Joel Embiid also came out looking to get going as he ends up with 15 points nine rebounds in only 21 minutes. He played solid and looked like he is ready to make an even bigger impact this year.
Philly had five players in double figures including Matisse Thybulle who had 10 points and an assist. He and Zhaire Smith, who ended up with eight points, Both look like they will help Philadelphia and add great depth to their bench. They are stacked with talent so making the final squad will be tough for many on this team.
The defense was sharp as Embiid held the lane down nice against the big guys of Orlando and Simmons may be their best defender. they looked cohesive and steady, ready for the season which is not good for the east. Philly will be a strong contender and many believe the favorite.
Conclusion
The Orlando Magic will be a team that will make noise in the east and I believe it will make the playoffs. Philly is a team that is a top contender in the NBA. Both are poised to have great seasons and if Fultz regains the form he once had, this could end up being a very Magical season for the Magic.
The Sixers just need to stay the course and stay healthy and the end is up to them. They have the talent the coach the organization to win a championship.
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