Brian Schmitz: Rivalry missing between Magic and Heat.
Magic-Heat rivalry hasn’t been one lately
After the second consecutive dunk against his team, the new Magic coach looked as frustrated as the old Magic coach and angrily called for a time-out.
The part of Scott Skiles was being played by Frank Vogel.
A club that reshaped its hoops hopes on defense appeared defenseless.
Veterans joined youngsters in the make-over, leading to playoff pledges ——extremely premature playoff pledges. Instead of a promising unveiling Wednesday night, it looked too much like a replay of the last lousy, lotterybound season for the Magic.
Different coach, different players ... same malaise, same result.
The Magic lost the lead in state bragging rights from the jump and did their national image no favors either, falling to the Miami Heat 108-96 at Amway Center.
The second-largest crowd in franchise history showed up, but their anticipation and curiosity were severely disappointed after the Magic were buried in the third quarter.
The good news for agonizing, impatient Orlando faithful: It’s
only Game 1.
The bad news (maybe) for agonizing, impatient Orlando faithful: There’s 81 to go.
Vogel and the Magic feared that trying to sync up seven new players would take time and be unsightly for a while. They better hope they are right. They can only pray this thorny thing blossoms.
Asked what he told his players afterward, Vogel said, “‘Stay together. It’s a long season.’ [We’ve] got to be better, clearly.”
Serge Ibaka, the Magic’s prize summer acquisition, had a forgettable debut on both ends. He took 17 shots (making just six) — something he seldom did when he was the third wheel in Oklahoma City to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He doesn’t need to prove points by shooting for them, though.
Fan favorite Victor Oladipo was dealt in the trade for Ibaka. He didn’t light it up in his first game with the Thunder, either, missing 12 of 16 shots. But the Magic already appear to miss Vic’s perimeter defense when teams go small as Heat guards Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson combined for 31 points.
The Magic chose to keep shooting guard Evan Fournier over Oladipo. Fournier scored 20 points, but hit just 7-of-19 shots, many of them coming late in the rout.
The Heat lose more star players than Saturday Night Live, but their ranks aren’t depleted enough for the Magic to win.
You’d think the Magic would be in good shape when Miami shows up for the 2016-17 season-opener without Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson.
They have all taken their talents out of South Beach.
But now Hassan Whiteside stands in the way — at 7 feet, 265 pounds.
He seemingly put every Magic player on a poster, finishing with 18 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and twice as many intimidations. Whiteside looked like he was warming up for a dunk contest, part of the incredible 74 points the Heat scored in the paint. “That’s their answer to not having Bosh and Wade,” Vogel said.
The Magic’s answer to Whiteside in the next three Orlando-Miami matchups could be burly Bismack Biyombo. Biyombo was serving a onegame suspension for flagrant fouling in the playoffs last season.
Right now, the Magic need all the help they can get to make the rivalry against the Heat, well, a rivalry.
Orlando has now lost seven consecutive games to Miami and —get this —17 of the last 18.
There’s really no genuine bitterness —not even a cross word —between the two state teams. It needs a transfusion to have any bad blood — and a Magic response.
Until then, we will have to settle for what occurred Wednesday night at Amway Center: Magic mascot Stuff hitting a “Heat fan” in the face with a pie during a skit.
“It’s a rivalry?” laughed Whiteside before the game.
Whiteside added that what he especially liked about the state series was that it was a half-hour flight to Orlando. Yes, it has been an easy trip for the Heat.
The Magic are looking for an encouraging lift-off.