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Magic play rookies but still beat Nets 115-107
- Updated: April 6, 2017
Ever since the Orlando Magic lost any realistic chance of making the playoffs, coach Frank Vogel has said his team would try to win every game down the stretch as it attempts to build a winning culture.
His approach Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets struck a delicate — and perhaps dangerous — balance between seeking another victory and weakening the Magic’s fragile culture.
On a night Evan Fournier sat out due to a sore right wrist, Vogel limited Terrence Ross’ minutes in the second half and barely played backup center Bismack Biyombo. Instead, Vogel gave more playing time than usual to rookie center Stephen Zimmerman and put recent rookie signees Marcus Georges-Hunt and Patricio Garino on the floor for extended minutes.
The Magic beat the Nets 115-107 anyway, thanks largely to a third-quarter scoring outburst from veteran shooting guard Jodie Meeks.
“We’re trying to win a game, and we have guys that we believe in that we brought in here and that get an opportunity to play,” Vogel said after the game. “A team is made of 15 players, and everybody contributes. So how does that undermine anything?”
The Magic signed Georges-Hunt and Garino out of the NBA Development League on Monday. Their contracts run through next season, although their 2017-18 salaries are fully non-guaranteed. The Magic wanted to sign them sooner rather than later to ensure they would not accept summer-league offers from other franchises.
Playing Georges-Hunt and Garino allowed the Magic to evaluate them, but it also threatened to send a mixed message. If the Magic are trying so hard to establish some momentum and build a culture, then why hold Ross to 25 minutes and Biyombo to six minutes?
Leading 86-76, the Magic had a quintet of D.J. Augustin, Georges-Hunt, Garino, Mario Hezonja and Zimmerman on the floor. Soon, the Nets cut the lead to 88-81, prompting Vogel to sub in Nikola Vucevic to replace Zimmerman. A bit later, Vogel put Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton back into the game, too.
