It’s the same cold story
Starters can’t keep pace with the Kings as 3-point shooting woes continue
Jonathon Simmons, Terrence Ross and Mohamed Bamba provided some much needed energy off the bench for a stagnant Orlando Magic squad Tuesday against Sacramento, but it still wasn’t enough. Orlando couldn’t overcome a 13-point second-half deficit, falling short 107-99 to the Kings at Amway Center.
Sacramento ripped off an 18-2 run in a crucial stage of the third quarter that pretty much sealed the Magic’s fate, although Orlando still had a last-ditch attempt at rallying before falling to 2-5 on the season.
“Obviously the third quarter was really the tough one for us, and … the last two-and-a-half minutes, where it went from I think five to double digits,” Clifford said. “The guys in the fourth quarter did a great job and it was defense that ignited some offense for us, gave ourselves a chance. We had a couple of things we needed to do better there late.
“But as much as anything, the inability to score in the third quarter was the biggest part of the game for us.”
Ross had 17 points, Bamba had seven rebounds and three blocked shots and Simmons had an impressive overall game, scoring 12 points and dishing five assists and the Magic stormed back in the fourth quarter to get as close as three points, but they couldn’t quite get over the hump.
“I let that group go because they had played so well to get us back in the game and they were doing it with the defense,” Clifford said. “They did a good job and again it was defense that really parlayed into good offense in the fourth quarter.”
The Magic outscored the Kings