Beckham can’t stop Orlando’s MLS bid
David Beckham can do a lot of amazing things, but even an international soccer star can’t stop Orlando’s pursuit of a Major League Soccer franchise.
Reports that Beckham has decided to exercise his option for an MLS expansion team to be based in Miami led to speculation that his South Florida venture might impact the Orlando City Soccer Club joining the league. It appears, however, there’s noneedfor the Lions’ futbol faithful to worry.
“We are working very closely with Orlando City’s ownership to finalize an expansion agreement to bring Major League Soccer to Central Florida,” MLS Executive Vice President Dan Courtemanche said Wednesday.
“MLS plans to add four expansion teams by 2020, and discussions with other potential expansion markets have no impact on our plans for MLS expansion in Orlando,” he said.
Beckham retired from playing soccer earlier this year, but his contract with
pete,” said Solomon Jones, who made the Magic’s regular-season roster after a strong preseason and contributed four points and eight rebounds Wednesday.
“We’ve just got to learn from our mistakes. We’ve got 80 more to go. We’ve got to put this one behind us.”
Afflalo finished with a team-high 28 points and also nine rebounds and five assists, while center Nik Vucevic added 22 points and16 rebounds.
Four other Magic players — Victor Oladipo, Andrew Nicholson and E’Twaun Moore — scored in double figures.
The Magic took a 101-100 lead on a driving layup by Afflalo with 24.4 seconds left in regulation, and Oladipo hit a pair of free throws with 12.5 seconds left to extend Orlando’s lead to 103-100.
But Love then showed why he’s an All-Star.
He hit a 3-pointer with 10.1 seconds left to tie the game.
The Magic had one chance to win the game outright, but Afflalo’s 16-foot turnaround jumper was just a bit short.
“I’ve seen Arron shoot a thousand of those in practice, and I’m glad it was in his hands,” Vaughn said. “We’ll probably run the same thing next time.”
The Magic ( 0-2) no doubt boarded their bus from Target Center wondering what would’ve happened if they had been able to defend without fouling.
The Timberwolves (1-0) made 28 of the 34 free throws they attempted.
Orlando turned the ball over 10 times in the first half but just eight more times in the second half and in overtime.
Minnesota jumped out to a 46-29 lead with nine minutes to go in the second quarter.
It would’ve been worse if not for Nicholson and Moore.
Their contributions may have prevented the game from getting out of hand early by combining to score 20 of the Magic’s 52 firsthalf points.
Nicholson scored 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting, often backing down Love and using an array of advanced low-post moves. Moore scored 10 points. In the third quarter, Afflalo started to heat up.
One night removed from a 3-for-14 shooting performance in Indianapolis, he made 11 of his 22 shot attempts.
The Magic cut the Wolves’ lead to 81-80 when Oladipo took advantage of a screen by Nicholson on Love to drive to the hoop and dunk.
Then — for the second night in a row — the Magic faded in the closing seconds of the third quarter.
Ronny Turiaf made a hook shot as he was fouled by Kyle O’Quinn and then hit the free throw.
Moore missed a jumper on Orlando’s ensuing trip down the court, but Nicholson fouled Love as Nicholson tried to get in position for a rebound. Love made one of his two freethrow attempts.
And, suddenly, Minnesota was up by five points.