Orlando gets win #1! Our five most interesting developments from the 91-89 triumph over Philadelphia.
Harris is Mr. Big Shot
There was a conversation on OrlandoMagic.com today about who would take the last shot for the Magic. We did not need to wait long to get an answer.
Evan Fournier dished to Harris for the final shot and the rest was history. By the way, credit to OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen for being the man to predict Harris as the shot taker in the video linked above.
Elfrid Started Hesitant but Came on Late
Early in the game, Payton seemed to play it conservatively, perhaps bothered by his 3-14 shooting performance the previous night at Chicago. After an Orlando timeout midway through the third, he asserted himself more.
The aggressive approach from Payton helped the Magic avoid the third quarter collapse that had been a trend so far this season. That same aggression also helped close out the win.
The Magic Are Significantly Ahead of Philly in the Rebuild Game
With 24 turnovers, Orlando clearly did not play their best, but still persevered for the victory. Despite the knocks on this roster, the Magic have many more pieces to work with at this juncture than Philly has.
Frye’s Veteran Presence Peaking Through
I admittedly was not a big fan of the Frye signing, but I understood the necessity to add salary to the payroll. It is normally my preference to go with young guys in a rebuild and let them play as much as possible, but the shooting big has fit in well without being an impediment to progress.
Frye notched his first Magic double double tonight and while he did not shoot the ball well overall, he connected on some much-needed baskets.
Everyone Gets a Flash of Aaron Gordon
While the process will be slow with Gordon, it helps to see moments like this from time to time.
