Magic Credit 'Locking In' to Snapping Losing Streak vs. Clippers
ORLANDO - In the heart of a nine-game losing streak, it was all about getting back to the simple for the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
"I thought they did a great job of focusing in and locking into the gameplan," head coach Jamahl Mosley said. "Understanding how physical we could be. Our guys did a really good job of staying the course throughout that entire game, being down 18 and still being able to bounce back."
Trailing 23-6 over the first eight minutes and 32-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Magic dug an early hole on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
But the team continued "dominating the simple" - a message that has been preached all season long to cut the deficit to just nine entering the break.
A game-changing 25-5 run by Orlando turned the tide and proved to be the difference in the 116-111 overtime victory.
"If we just do what we're supposed to and lock-in on defense, everybody touches it on offense, we're gonna live with the result," rookie Paolo Banchero said.
In a contest where neither team shot particularly well from the field, key defensive stops proved to be the key late in the tight contest.
"If we come out with a locked in mentality on the defensive end it always seems to carry over for us on offense," Banchero said. "Offensively if we just focus on moving [the ball] side-to-side, getting multiple passes, limit the isolation one-dribble or no pass shots."
"That keeps everybody involved so it makes everybody else a threat, when everybody touches it they feel like they can make a play."
Banchero led the way offensively with 23 points, followed by Bol Bol with 20 of his own.
In his fourth consecutive start, center Moe Wagner topped a season-high set in Monday's game (19) with a 20-point outing over 35 minutes on the floor.
"We talk about what he's capable of doing," Mosley said. "He brought the energy. Those early timeouts, we didn't start off the right way, but our guys were resilient enough to take the first punch and continue to fight back."
While it feels good to get back in the win column against a playoff caliber team, Mosley has one message for his club.
"Celebrate it tonight, get back to work tomorrow," he said.
The Magic is back in action tomorrow night against the Toronto Raptors.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
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