Sports

Orlando beats the Heat 126-114 in OT

ORLANDO, FL – The Orlando Magic defeated the Miami Heat 126-114  in a blow by blow battle at the Amway Center on Saturday night.

Orlando, Florida, USA, March 11, 2023, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo #13 attempt to score the the game at the Amway Center. (Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis)

Orlando looked back on their recent loss to the Heat on February 11th  by the close score of 107-103. For a team on the rise that is still learning game by game. That Heat loss was a lesson to this team that was seared into their memory, set aside for the next time that they faced Miami, which was on Saturday.

The game was a close one, with 15 lead changes and 10 ties, Orlando used their physical ability to cause the Heat to make costly turnovers as well as the return of center Wendell CaRTER JR.

Carter Jr. proved to be crucial on both ends of the court, with a physical presence on Bam Adebayo as well as Max Strus and Cody Heller, but also by scoring a team hight 27 points, as well as 11 rebounds.

Orlando had six players in double figures, with Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs providing scoring from the bench with 16 points each.

Orlando, Florida, USA, March 11, 2023, Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony #50 shoots a technical at the Amway Center. (Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis)

Orlando continues to prove their case as one of the up and coming teams of the league, taking an early head of steam against the Heat in the first quarter and ending the quarter up 34-24.

Orlando shot close to 60% in that quarter, but the Heat were shooting just behind that, but were cold from deep, going 0 for 6 from the three point line.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo took things over in the second quarter, eve leading by as much as seven points with Butler scoring eight points in the second quarter.

Jalen Suggs drove to the basket and caught Cody Zeller in the nose, sidelining both players, Suggs bent over holding his head, and Zeller’s face covered in towels to absorb the blood. Both would head to their locker rooms, though Suggs returned a few minutes later to finish the first half, with Orlando up 58-55 at halftime.

The third quarter of the game was a defensive battle, with each team scoring 23 points. 

Orlando dominated the boards, out rebounding the Heat 54-30 in the game. Orlando also had more points in the paint, scoring 60 in the paint to Miami’s 50 points.

Orlando, Florida, USA, March 11, 2023, Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent #2 attempt to score at the Amway Center. (Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis)

The return of Kyle Lowry from the injured list gave the Heat 12 points from the b each as well as 2 steals and one blocked shot, but it also added three turnovers.

The Magic had the Heat down 108-105 with 5 seconds left, and with a Miami inbound, Butler made it around the key and rose up in between two Magic defenders to drill the tying 3-point shot at the buzzer.

Orlando refused to quit on this game. This was when they drew on the last game’s experience.

“That’s what we talked about in the locker room just now.” Said Orlando Head Coach Jamahl Mosley ” We were in the exact same scenario the last time we played them serious now. We were in icy dout in them, toughness to know that they wanted to go out and get the game. They were decisive in their decisions, they communicated with one another, they sat down and guarded, so I think our guys did a great, great job of showing the growth from learning from one game to the next.”

Orlando gutted it out with clutch play and tough defense, going 18-6 in overtime for the win.

the win puts the Magic 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls and the final playoff spot as they head off on a west coast tour, starting on Tuesday as they he’d to San Antonio to face the Spurs.

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