Magic end Timberwolves’ five-game winning streak
Orlando register first win of 2018, breaking a seven-game losing streak
With Bismack Biyombo and rookie Khem Birch providing boards and blocks, the Orlando Magic won for the first time in 2018.
The duo combined for 26 rebounds and nine blocked shots in Orlando’s 108-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Statistically the worst rebounding team in the NBA, the Magic had a 51-37 edge on the boards and broke a seven-game losing streak against a team that had won five straight.
“Biyombo is a very hard-playing guy and Birch hurt us, so the rebounding was problematic,” said Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau. “I thought we were in position to win but if you don’t rebound the ball, you’re putting yourself in a big hole.”
Evan Fournier scored a season-high 32 points for the Magic, and DJ Augustin added 11 points and three assists in a 35-point fourth quarter.
Magic guard Arron Afflalo and Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica were ejected with 7:58 left in the second quarter when they got into a fight while the game
Tuesday’s matches:
Pelicans Magic Nuggets Trail Blazers 116 108 105 118 Celtics 113 Timberwolves 102 Mavericks 102 Suns 111 was being played. Afflalo threw at least one punch in the fight, which came four minutes after both players had been assessed technical fouls.
“I don’t want to feel like a victim here, that’s part of the game,” Bjelica said. “But he took a swing at me, and I was just trying to protect myself, first of all, and to calm him down because he was wild.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with that guy, but at that point I have to protect myself and my family.”
Birch, who has spent much of the season going back and forth to the NBA G League, contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks on less than 19 minutes.
“It’s hard to take out a player who plays hard, so that’s what I did,” said the 6-foot-9 rookie from UNLV. “When you play limited minutes, you’ve got to go as hard as you can. You don’t want to mess up the opportunity.”