PHOENIX – The Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns were both disgusted with their previous game.
Only Orlando came away feeling better Sunday night.
Tobias Harris scored 21 points and the Magic held off a late Phoenix rally to beat the Suns 93-90 and snap a four-game losing streak, the latest a 98-83 loss at Indiana on Friday night.
“Coach was pretty disappointed in us by the way we played and by the approach we took for the Indiana game,” Harris said. “Today was a good bounce-back game for us.”
Nikola Vucevic added 18 points for the Magic, who led by 16 early in the fourth quarter before the Suns cut it to three with 1:02 to play.
It was the second loss in three nights for the Suns, who were blown out in Denver 122-97 on Friday night.
“Orlando, they played hard for 48 minutes,” Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We played hard for about 12 minutes. … We want to continually go through the motions and think we’re just going to beat teams, not get dirty and not get hit and get scratched up, whatever it takes. The guys saw that in the fourth quarter when they play that way, they’re pretty good”
Seconds after his team cut the lead to three, Hornacek drew a technical, the coach claiming to no avail that Vucevic traveled on a layup.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Goran Dragic and Gerald Green, the second with 2.9 seconds to go, cut the lead 91-90. Evan Fournier sank two free throws with 1.6 seconds to go and Phoenix failed to get a shot off at the buzzer.
Dragic scored 22 points and Markieff Morris had 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Suns.
The Magic were able to disrupt the guard play that is the core of the Suns’ game and played offense at the pace they prefer.
” Overall we had a great emphasis on getting the ball under control,” Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said, “and that was done by our smalls who took on that challenge and also by our bigs who supported in pick and roll coverage. So a really good job of being locked into the game plan.”
Elfrid Payton’s two free throws with 10 1/2 minutes to play gave the Magic their biggest lead at 74-58.
Then the Suns finally got going. Dragic and Green each had steals and baskets — Green’s a dunk — and Morris’ two free throws cut it to 83-80 with 1:02 to go. Then came Vucevic’s European-style layup and the technical foul it drew.
The Magic outscored Phoenix 13-1 over the final 3:13 of the first half to lead 52-39 at the half.
The game was sloppy with 23 turnovers by Orlando and 19 by Phoenix.
WHAT A PLAY
Green supplied a major “wow” play in the first quarter.
Guarded tightly in the key area, he threw the ball high off the backboard, then soared to grab it and slam it down.
Green waived to the crowd as Orlando called a timeout after the play.
ROAD WARRIORS
Orlando won its fifth road game, eclipsing the total the Magic had all of last season (4-37). The Magic are better on the road this season (5-7), than they are at home (2-5).
TIP-INS
Magic: Harris’ season high is 26 points. … Channing Frye managed just one 3-pointer in his first game back to Phoenix. He left the Suns after last season when the Magic offered him a four-year, $32 million contract. He ranks sixth in Suns career 3-pointers.
Suns: Were without PG Isaiah Thomas for the third game in a row with a bruised ankle. … Phoenix made five of 15 3-pointers, Gerald Green going 1 of 7. Eric Bledsoe had six turnovers, Dragic five. … Bledsoe drew a technical as he walked off the court after drawing his second foul. … Morris was called for a flagrant foul after a very long video review.
UP NEXT
Magic: At Golden State Tuesday night.
Suns: Host Indiana Tuesday night, concluding a quick two-game home stand.
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