Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Orlando Magic – First half NBA Recap
The fourth game on the Christmas night saw two teams who have had a completely different off season.
On one side, there was the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that has been an epitome of stability, and after last season’s heroics, were ready to rumble. On the other side, there was a slightly refurbished Orlando Magic side desperately looking to put up a show, one that can convince Dwight Howard to stay in Florida this season.
Magic had their motivation alright and started the game on a three point play by Ryan Anderson. On the very next possession, Howard opened his season with a jump bank shot on a Jameer Nelson dish. Kevin Durant and Thabo Sefolosha countered with 2’s from the other end to make it 4-5, but in the passage that followed Orlando made good on six consecutive tries from the floor to go ahead by 18-11.
The Magic however went cold after that, allowing Thunder to score seven unanswered points, capped by a Durant jam, to make it 18-all. The Magic shooting jinx was finally broken by Hedo Turkoglu, who knocked down a three with 3:36 to go in the frame. The rest of the quarter belonged to James Harden and his exceptional free throw shooting.
With 1:44 to go, he started with two on Glen Davis foul and after Nazr Mohammed made a jumper to put OKC ahead by 22-21, he made five consecutive charity shots to make it 27-22. Howard tried to pin a three in the dying second, but was desperately off target.
Magic tried to rally early in the second quarter, but some slick perimeter shooting from Eric Maynor and Daequan Cook ensured that the hosts raced off to a 35-26 advantage within the first three minutes. Anderson made a three to make it 29-35, but what followed was a 13-2 run from OKC, who started to pull away. Durant was the architect of the burst with seven points.
Magic responded with an 8-2 spurt of their own to close in at 39-50, but Durant made a shot and one. An Earl Clark Jumper followed, but it was answered with a jumper from Harden as the Thunder went into the locker room, leading by 55-41.
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