Magic at Wizards: What Went Right

The Magic were firing on all cylinders Wednesday night as they rolled the Washington Wizards 122-92. Orlando made a statement in a statement game against a depleted Washington bunch that played without Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas. Here’s a quick take on what went right for the Magic.

1. Offensive efficiency- The Magic couldn’t be stopped on this evening as they shot better than 56% from the field (46-82), and scored 30 or more in three out of the four quarters. Much of Orlando’s efficiency stemmed from poor Washington defense, but the Magic took advantage, and made it a laugher.

2. Ball movement- Orlando had 27 assists on the evening, one of their highest totals of the year. Jameer Nelson led the team with 10 assists, and Carlos Arroyo came off the bench and added 6 more.

3. Great play from the shooting guard position- Arguably one of the team’s weakest positions, the combination of Maurice Evans, Keith Bogans, and J.J. Redick (in garbage time) scored 39 points on 14-19 shooting. They also added 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

4. Good free throw shooting- The Magic didn’t need it, but they shot 18 for 22 from the free throw line. You know it’s going to be your night when Dwight Howard goes 6-6 from the line.

5. Another double-double for Superman- It was business as usual for Dwight Howard as he scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

6. Hands-on defense- The Magic had 9 steals on the night, one of the highest totals of the year.

7. Bench scoring- The Magic reserves were led by Keith Bogans who scored 17 points. As a team, Orlando scored 47 bench points.

8. Solid point guard play- Jameer Nelson ran the offense masterfully, as he scored 9 points and dished out 10 assists, with just one turnover. Carlos Arroyo played well scoring 11 points and dishing out 6 assists.

Wednesday’s Magic MVP- Stan Van Gundy- although the Orlando head coach didn’t suit up, he certainly had his team ready to play. The Magic jumped on the Wizards early and didn’t let up.

Honorable mention- The entire starting five- Dwight was his usual dominant self, just with great free throw shooting, Nelson ran the offense to near perfection, and Turkoglu and Lewis chipped in as they were needed. Evans rebounded from a horrible performance and added 17 points on 6-8 shooting.

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Charlie Bernstein is the Editor-in-Chief of MagicIllustrated.com, and a regular syndicated contributor to FoxSports.com, Sirius Radio, MySpace Sports and Sportsillustrated.com. Charlie is also a columnist for the New Smyrna Observer. Feel free to contact him -HERE- with questions or comments.


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