76ers at Magic
Every time the Orlando Magic take a step forward, they tend to take two steps back. The Magic will try to avoid a big third step back and put some positive momentum together when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Orlando earned a 124-115 win at the 76ers on Tuesday but followed it up with a pair of losses, including a 108-95 setback to the struggling New York Knicks on Friday. “It was kind of a go-through-the-motions type of game and we didn’t have much life,” Magic coach Scott Skiles told reporters. “In many ways we were worse (defensively than in a 130-114 home loss to Golden State on Thursday). We were just completely fatigued. That’s what we looked like right from the beginning of the game.” Philadelphia’s latest losing streak hit seven with a 103-94 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday. The NBA-worst 76ers held a halftime lead over the Wizards before faltering.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-50): Philadelphia is all about development, and the frontcourt of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel continues to show promise. Coach Brett Brown is juggling the positioning of his two young big man, with both preferring to play the center spot. Okafor served as the nominal center on Friday and finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting while Noel added nine points and eight rebounds.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (25-32): Even dunk contest star Aaron Gordon looked like he was suffering from tired legs on Friday but still managed 17 points and eight rebounds. “We’ve got to continue to play regardless of whether or not we feel the momentum is swinging,” Gordon told reporters. “Obviously, basketball is a game of runs, but regardless of what runs they go on, we need to continue to go on and continue to fight. I don’t think we did that (Friday).” Gordon bridged the All-Star break with a string of six straight double-digit rebounding efforts but was held to eight boards in each of the last two contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Magic F Ersan Ilyasova averaged 10.3 points in his first four games after being acquired from the Detroit Pistons but was held scoreless on Friday.
2. 76ers SF Robert Covington has made multiple 3-pointers in each of the last six games.
3. The road team has taken each of the last three in the series, with Philadelphia earning a 96-87 victory in Orlando on Jan. 20.