Rockets Dominate Glass to Defeat Magic in Low-Scoring Struggle

Following a spirited victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, the Orlando Magic entered Monday's tilt with the Houston Rockets looking to start their five-game road trip 2-0.

Getting dominated on the glass and being held to their third-lowest point total this season, however, was not part of their plans.

Houston's 97-84 victory was the Magic's sixth loss in their last seven games. Orlando fell to 30-36 this season and 3-7 since the All-Star break. Thanks to Miami's loss at home to Charlotte, the Magic keep hold of the East's No. 8 seed overnight.

It's just the second time in 16 instances this season where the Magic have held their opponent to under 100 points and lost.

"You hold a team under 100 [points], you feel like you're giving yourself a chance," Wendell Carter Jr. said postgame. "Offensively, we just didn't have it."

The Rockets wiped their visitors from the boards, finishing the evening with a 63-42 rebounding advantage (77-46 when including team rebounds*). While Houston wasn't efficient from the field – shooting 39.3 percent from the field and made 16-of-43 threes – it grabbed 20 offensive rebounds. Entering Monday's game, the Rockets had the league's best rebounding rate.

*Team rebounds are credited when a team gains possession of the ball after a missed shot not cleared by a single player.*

"That was the game right there, essentially," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame.

"They just came off of scoring 146 points, you hold them to 97 points. So you're battling as much as you can and those offensive rebounds, they become deflating as you've gotten the stops that you need, but then you've got to finish those possessions off. Twenty offensive rebounds is difficult to overcome, especially in the possession game like this."

Both Alperen Sengun (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Steven Adams (11 points, 17 rebounds with 11 offensive) finished with double-doubles for the Rockets. Five Houston players, led by Jabari Smith Jr.'s 20 points, tallied double figures.

"It was pretty difficult. They're two pretty good offensive-rebounding bigs," Carter said. "Got a little unlucky with some of the bounces. When you box them out, sometimes it bounces right to them, which is tough ... They just did a hell of a job tonight."

Orlando's third-ranked defense did its part. It forced scored 20 points off 19 Houston turnovers, then kept the Rockets out of transition.

Yet, the Rockets' fourth-ranked defense made life difficult for Orlando's 28th-ranked offense all night long.

The Magic were held to just 32.6 percent from the field – their lowest percentage of the year – and 8-of-32 from three.

Paolo Banchero (25 points) and Franz Wagner (15) led the Magic's scoring, but they shot a combined 16-of-40 from the field. None of their teammates joined them in double figures.

Orlando jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter, but didn't score for the final 4:20 before the quarter break. Houston won the second quarter by a point, 28-27, and led by five going into half.

However, only scoring 16 points in the third quarter meant the Magic trailed by 13 heading into the final quarter. The Magic never drew within single digits again.

"We have to do a better job of just moving the ball from side to side," Carter said. "We kind of fell into the no-pass shots or the one-pass shots. With exerting the energy on defense and then that happening on the offensive end, that definitely drains the team a little bit. We've got to do a better job of trusting the process a little bit more."

Up Next

Orlando's five-game road trip continues Thursday, March 13 at the New Orleans Pelicans at 8 p.m. ET.

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?

Follow 'Orlando Magic on SI' on Facebook and like our page. Follow Magic beat reporter Mason Williams on Twitter/X @mvsonwilliams. Also, bookmark our homepage so you never miss a story.

Up Next

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?