Orlando Magic hand Minnesota Timberwolves’ worst loss
After the postponement of their previous game and a blowout loss against the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic vented their frustrations to the Minnesota Timberwolves and posted a dominating
128-86 win on Wednesday 3 November at the Amway Center.
Dwight Howard had an outstanding game as the player known as “Superman” scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Orlando, who handed Minnesota their worst loss in franchise history.
The 24-year old centre also had a big night on the defensive end of the floor as he finished the game with eight blocks, and swatted shots into the stands more than once, which seemed to
fuel Orlando’s offensive attack.
The Magic, whose game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday 2 November was called off after an asbestos scare at the Madison Square Garden, had an emphatic first half as they scored 78 points,
which is the new franchise-record for most points in the first half.
"I thought with two of your last four games having been called off, I thought it was a victory just that this one started," said head coach Stan Van Gundy, whose Magic also had a cancelled
game during the pre-season because of a slippery court.
Vince Carter scored a team-high 20 points and Brandon Bass provided a lift from the bench with his 19 points and eight rebounds, while the Magic also got 19 points from Ryan Anderson, who
was the team’s starting power-forward after Van Gundy moved Rashard Lewis to the small forward spot.
The Magic opened the game with an impressive display of outside sniping, while Dwight Howard imposed his will inside, giving the Magic a huge 78-45 lead at the half, and the Timberwolves
never recovered and absorbed their second-straight blowout loss after the Miami Heat crushed them 129-97 on Tuesday 2 November.
Kevin Love had a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds, while Corey Brewer added 12 points and five boards for Minnesota, who has now lost four of their first five games of the season.
"They just came out and stomped us tonight," Love said.
The 42-point deficit was the largest margin of defeat in Timberwolves history, a point ahead of the previous record of 41 points, set on 5 March 1996 against the Miami Heat.
"These are hard lessons for a young team to learn," Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis said. "They didn't play well offensively and do the right things, and we clearly didn't do the right things
defensively either."
Minnesota’s second leading scorer Michael Beasley missed the game with a hip injury, but the third-year forward is expected to play against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday 5 November.
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