Magic’s struggles continue with 108-93 loss to the Mavericks

By Josh Robbins
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Updated: February 1, 2015

What transpired Saturday night probably didn’t help Jacque Vaughn in his quest to keep his job.

His Orlando Magic looked in-different at times.

They absorbed yet another thumping at Amway Center, falling to the more intense, more energetic Dallas Mavericks 108-93. Although the final score may appear slightly respectable, the Magic trailed by as many as 25 points in the second quarter.
Mavericks-Magic postgame interview: Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris discusses the Orlando Magic’s 108-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 31, 2015

“It’s a good team we played today, first of all,” Vaughn said. “Like I said before the game, overall, watching the ball go into the bucket from the opponent is pretty tough for us to rebound from and not see it go in on our end. I think a few plays started to compound and tested our confidence and ability to play on and play the next play.”

If you needed an indication about how Magic fans feel these days, you only had to be inside the arena during the pregame introductions. Many fans booed when Vaughn’s name was announced and his picture was flashed on Amway Center’s scoreboard — the first time that has occurred during his two-and-a-half seasons as the Magic’s coach.

No coaching change seemed imminent late Saturday night.

Before tipoff, Magic chairman Dan DeVos told the Orlando Sentinel that no potential move of any kind has been brought to his family for review. Usually, a conference call is held for a large contingent of the DeVos family when the franchise is about to make a big decision.

A coaching change would qualify as a big decision.

The Magic have lost eight consecutive games, a season high, and they have allowed at least 100 points in 12 straight games.

“Losing becomes contagious,” rookie point guard Elfrid Payton said. “If we start getting some wins, I think we could feel a little bit better about ourselves.”

The Magic (15-35) played a dreadful first half.

No energy. No backbone. No fight.

Dallas made 64 percent of its shots in the first half.

Even when the Magic did stop the Mavericks on the defensive end, it wasn’t enough. With Dallas leading 43-30 midway through the second quarter, Dallas’ Richard Jefferson missed a long jumper.

But the Mavericks’ Al-Farouq Aminu outfought Evan Fournier for the rebound. A few seconds later, Monta Ellis drove and dished to Tyson Chandler for an easy dunk.

Dallas (32-17) was playing its fourth game in five nights and didn’t even have a full roster Saturday.

Orlando-area native Chandler Parsons sat out his second consecutive game because he was sick, and Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo left the game after 90 seconds when a teammate accidentally kneed him in the face early in the first quarter.

“You also see what guys are made of during times of adversity,” Tyson Chandler said. “You have a good, strong team and guys built with character — that is when they step up.”

The Magic played without starting shooting guard Victor Oladipo, who has a sore right Achilles’ tendon, and they didn’t pick up any momentum until veteran Willie Green led a fourth-quarter charge with some help from Channing Frye, Aaron Gordon, Ben Gordon and Maurice Harkless.

“I think we’re trying to figure it out,” Frye said. “At times, it’s not easy. I think guys are trying to do the best that they can. They’re a tough team, and I think we just allowed them to run their offense at the beginning and didn’t really put any pressure on them.

“No excuse,” Frye added. “I think we were just a little too passive in that first half.”

With 7:54 left in Saturday’s fourth quarter and Orlando trailing by 11 points, Ben Gordon was whistled for a technical foul for arguing a non-call and then was ejected from the game after he cursed at referee Kane Fitzgerald.

The outburst actually was a positive for Orlando: For once, a Magic player showed some emotion.