Vucevic finds his scoring touch
Center’s 12 straight points gave Magic hope in Game 3
When Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter at Amway Center on Friday night, anticipation filled the arena.
For the first two-and-ahalf games of this best-ofseven NBA Playoffs series, Orlando Magic fans had waited for their all-star leader Nikola Vucevic to get off the schneid. He had put forth pedestrian scoring numbers in his first two playoff games, which the Magic and the Raptors split heading into Friday night’s Game 3.
Vucevic finally got on track and led the Magic to a third-quarter rally that made things interesting Friday, but the secondlargest announced crowd in Amway Center history was left with little to celebrate as Orlando dropped a 98-93 decision and fell a game behind in the series, 2-1.
Magic fans, however, could at least find a bit of solace in knowing Vucevic was back, for a little while.
The man who had led the Magic all season, averaging 21 points and 12 rebounds per game on 51 percent shooting from the floor, had scored just 21 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and made only 8-of-26 field goal attempts (30 percent) and turned the ball over nine times in the first 10 quarters of the series.
He vowed Thursday to get more aggressive, but during Friday’s first half it was more of the same as he started out with just four points plus five rebounds and committed four turnovers by halftime. Magic fans were waiting.
Finally, it happened. When Gasol left the game just two-and-a-half minutes into the second half, Vucevic took advantage and, although he said afterward that Gasol’s absence had little to do with it, the 7-footer erupted for 12 straight points, including two straight 3-pointers. The Magic rallied from trailing by seven points to grab their first lead of the night at 59-57 with 6:31 left in the third.
“When [Gasol] went out of the game, I thought we did a good job,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “[Vucevic] did it without the aid of play calls, which is why he’s been such a good, efficient scorer all year. … There was more offensive energy, us moving the ball. That’s when he’s at his best. He got going with a couple of jumpers and obviously he played very well.”
Vucevic was just happy to see some shots start falling, and his confidence obviously picked up with every made basket. He finished 7-of- 13 from the floor, which was much more like what the Magic expect.
“I think I got back to the free-throw line and that helped, and I hit those 3s and that opened up stuff for me … I just tried to stay aggressive and stick with it,” Vucevic said. “I knew eventually my shot was going to fall and it did tonight.
“They’re obviously going to try to do a lot of stuff to take me away. … Also, when we didn’t turn the ball over, our screening was better, my movement was better, which opened up stuff for everybody, including myself. … I got some rolls, got some easy ones inside and was able to convert.”
Whether Gasol’s absence had much to do with it or not, Vucevic certainly found his energy and aggressiveness in that third quarter. Teammate Aaron Gordon found Vucevic twice — including a behind-the-back bounce pass — for the 3-pointers. Vucevic also took advantage of what the defense gave him during the run, like his post-up of a much smaller Kyle Lowery on a move in the paint.
“I was able to get two open 3s and a couple of baskets kind of in transition and the free throws,” Vucevic said. “Most of my baskets weren’t really me doing anything one-onone. It was mostly out of our team action and me getting open for my plays, so I don’t think [Gasol’s absence] had anything to do with it.”
The Magic will now be looking for Vucevic, who ended up with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, to produce more during Game 4 against the Raptors on Sunday at Amway Center.
Otherwise, they’ll likely be heading back to Toronto looking at a 3-1 deficit for Tuesday’s Game 5.
“Obviously in the playoffs, it’s not going to be as easy as it was during the regular season,” Vucevic said. “So [I’ve] just got keep figuring it out and stay aggressive and try to make the right plays. … I did have five turnovers tonight, which is too many, so I have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”
Gasol is well aware of what he needs to do to neutralize Vucevic.
“It’s the same approach I took in Game 1, Game 2, Game 3 and I will take in Game 4 and you try to make things as hard as possible for him and his teammates to execute it,” Gasol said. “He made a couple of shots and things are going to get obviously more open for him. In the third quarter, he got going. He is a very dangerous player.”