MAGIC WIN!
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 125 – 136 ORLANDO MAGIC
In the Amway we got the W in a very high scoring game where our defence wasn’t near it’s usual standards.
We scored 30+ points in every quarter & shot a field goal percentage of 54%., whilst also having a season high on points & assists. It is another win we needed to keep our momentum going & it is a quality result. As always I’m going to keep myself pretty level & not get too over excited as it is a win against a team we should beat, a team who are very much sub 500. A win is a win so it’s all good!
We are now 22 & 2 when we lead or are level entering the 4th quarter. We are also 18 & 1 when we score at least 110 points, hit 115+ points & we have won all 14 games, 120 or more & its 9 games.
A great stat I have read from Josh Cohen is that over the past 6 games our Magic are averaging 123 points, second in the league over that period only to the Houston Rockets. Our home record now stands at 16 & 14. Our road record is 11 wins & 18 losses which will be tested again tonight as we play the second night of this back-to-back, travelling to play the Spurs.
Torch Lit!
It’s difficult to single out any individual player in my opinion as this was very much a team effort but:
Aaron Gordon got his first career triple double & was huge again. 17 points, 11 rebounds & 12 assists plus 2 blocks on the night. Terence Ross scored a season high 33 points without getting to the free throw line. He shot a field goal percentage over 50%, whilst hitting 7 of his attempted 15 on the long ball…Torch lit!
Nikola Vucevic turned in yet another double-double, his 31st of the season as he quietly but efficiently scored points in the paint.
The Playoff Race
We are sitting in the 7th seed after the Nets took a battering from the Atlanta Hawks 118-141. We have 23 games to play between now & the end of the regular season on April 15th. With wins in 5 of our last 6 games our record is improved but not where many of us hoped or feel it should be, presently standing at 27 & 32.
The Nets have now lost their last 3 games & have a 26 & 32 record, still having played a game less than ourselves. We are 6 wins ahead of the Washington Wizards in 9th, who have played 1 game less than ourselves with a 21 & 37 record, losing last night to the Jazz. The Charlotte Hornets (21 & 38) & Chicago Bulls (20 & 39) are sat at 10th & 11th. We do hold the tiebreaker over all four teams; the Nets (2-0), the Wizards (4 & 0), the Hornets (2-0) & the Bulls (1-0).
If we finish in the 7th seed spot again it could set up a repeat of last season’s first round matchup against the Toronto Raptors (42-17) but the Boston Celtics (41-17) are fighting hard for that position. The Bucks (51 & 8) lead the East easily, having already assured themselves of postseason qualification & are likely to await the 8th seed. In the race for 7th & 8th Brooklyn travel to Miami tonight, the Bulls travel to the Knicks Washington & Charlotte both play on Sunday.
We still have a way to go but it is starting to looking good again as we definitely have one foot in the postseason.
