When Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith made the drastic decision to bring in Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu, he did so with games like last night's win over the San Antonio Spurs in mind. The moves were risky, but if the team could find a way to integrate all three players into their system, they suddenly became arguably the most dangerous team in the league.
Spurs Vs. Magic: New-Look Orlando Routs San Antonio 123-101
We saw that ability on full display on Thursday night. The Magic pulled away in the second quarter and routed the 25-3 Spurs 123-101 in Orlando, using a balanced team effort. Dwight Howard led the way with 29 points and 14 rebounds, but while he was dominant, other players stepped up as well, as all three Magic newcomers played solid games. Richardson had 15 points, Turkoglu had 11 and Arenas scored 14 with nine assists off the bench. If those three players can all play decently at the same time, Orlando becomes scary good.
More importantly, it looks like the Magic’s transition game is better than ever. As SB Nation’s Magic blog Orlando Pinstriped Post notes, the team is flying up the floor instead of trotting up leisurely.
The Magic bore no resemblance, neither in personnel nor in style, to the team President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith dismantled last Saturday with big trades. Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jason Richardson aggressively looked to push the ball in transition instead of dishing to a point guard to walk it up. Coach Stan Van Gundy's increased emphasis on playing a high-energy, fast-paced style clearly paid off. At halftime, the Magic had already tallied 18 fast-break points, one shy of their previous season-high.
That said, it's worth noting that the Spurs played a difficult game at home against the Nuggets the night before. They looked tired, especially as this game wore on.
See More:
