ESPN reacts to Orlando Magic beat New York Knicks 117-108; Julius Randle 38 pts, Franz Wagner 32 Pts

ESPN reacts to Orlando Magic beat New York Knicks 117-108; Julius Randle 38 pts, Franz Wagner 32 Pts

Now here from our Delta MSD Studios Wally zerak will join us in a couple of moments from Orlando so the Knicks unable really to overcome what was a really challenging second quarter they scored only 15 points in that second quarter they went five of 21 from the

Floor in that second quarter they were down by 11 at the half they were then down by 20 in the second half and they got as close as five but they were unable to go any closer than that as we take a look at the highlights Randall

Was tremendous tonight he had 16 of his 38 in quarter number one as he was dominant the Knicks actually LED after one quarter by the count of 29 to 26 Randall scoring 16 of the Knicks first 29 Points second quarter it was all Orlando as they outscored the Knicks by

The count of 29- 15 jayen Suggs showed him in the initial highlight with an excellent game out of Gonzaga starting to really emerge now that he’s healthy bronze Vagner third year player out of Michigan averaging over 20 a game tremendous ability to go to the basket

Orlando at that point up 4433 they went on an 18 to4 run and then Vagner here to end the half that goes around and in the magic were up by 11th a half third quarter Knicks ended up going down as I mentioned at one point by 20 great

Sequence here sugs to the rookie Anthony black and then it’s Paulo bonero the Rookie of year last year was tremendous tonight he’s had a great second season he had 29 tonight so Orlando this Point’s up 20 Josh har chipping away for three and the Knicks within 12 fourth quarter vogner puts Orlando up

9076 RJ Barrett tonight had 19 layup for him here and the Knicks hanging in there they’re down 9384 then it’s Jay Brunson got knocked around all night long doing his thing to the basket 10293 Nicks down nine and then they pulled within six as Randall is going to

Convert here on the lay in Knicks are down 10397 about four minutes to go goo bat here blocks Brunson then B Carol finds bat for the jam this was a key sequence because it put Orlando back up 105 5 to 97 the Knicks actually within five under

40 left and this was a key sequence As sugs Nails a jumper that iced a game for the magic as they win it by the final score of 117 to 108 note the free throws Orlando 30 of 40 from the line that’s the most a Nick opponent has attempted

From the line and made from the line Nicks for their part went 26 of 29 so they didn’t lose a lot at the free throw line we made a big point about points in the paint Nicks actually dead even in that battle Nicks and Magic neither team shot particularly well from downtown in

Fact they actually shot exactly the same overall at 44% and yet you total it up Nicks lose 117 to 108 W zerak now joins us from Orlando uh helped call the game tonight obviously here with Mike Green Wally appreciate you stopping by here overall big thoughts uh overall thoughts on what you saw

Tonight well that magic team is really tough they play an old school brand basketball they’re not the most skilled team they don’t try to get up 40 53s a game like most NBA teams are trying to do they just beat you with defense they beat you with physicality they have

Really good young players that have winning DNA and they’re serious competitors they are high motor competitors everyone that sets foot on that floor Anthony black I don’t think there’s a defender in the NBA so far that’s given Jaylen Brunson as much of a tough time bringing the ball up the

Floor I mean he just worked him up and down the floor made him work just to get the Knicks into offense Jaylen Brunson spent more time on the floor I think after falling down trying to get to the basket you know than upright and this team plays physical I think the Knicks

Knew what they were getting into they struggled to shoot the three so the Knicks had to attack the basket and there were a lot of Big Time collisions underneath the hoop because this team does not shy away from contact and you can see why they are now 19 and 12 and

May be a big factor in the East tell you Wally watching that game I really thought that the magic inexperience would cost them down the stretch but that turned out not to be the case I really thought the Knicks when they got within six a couple of times then within

Five I thought they were going to be able to pull this thing out tonight I felt the same way bill I felt like is it that the Knicks are just having an off night or is it the Orlando Magic defense that’s making them play some of the most awkward turnover prone just unlike

Nick’s basketball that we’ve really seen all year long I mean they only scored five points in the first N9 minutes of the second quarter that was maybe their worst quarter of the season so far they couldn’t do anything right they had more turnovers at one point than field goals

In that quarter uh they just were not running the offense that were used to them running and in the end I think you have to give the credit to that Orlando Magic defense uh they’re really good I always thought though that the Knicks were going to turn it on they were going

To flip the switch they were going to make a few shots their guys were going to start playing the way they’re capable of playing and they were going to figure out a way to pull out this win this Orlando Magic team has been struggling losing five out of seven the last uh 12

Games um you know uh excuse me going five and seven in their last 12 games they’ve really been struggling um so I thought there was going to be a point where the Knicks were going to figure this one out and get this win but give the magic credit fron Vagner would not

Let that happen well interesting the Knicks down the stretch making their comeback with Randle at the five I think he played more minutes at the five it’s unofficial obviously than we’ve seen at any point here in recent memory what do you think about Rand at to five well Julius Randall was outstanding

He was the best player on the floor and it wasn’t even close and the magic didn’t have an answer for him well maybe fronds Vagner was a a close second today the way he played having a season High um but Julius randle’s just doing everything to try to help this team win

Basketball games and unfortunately he couldn’t get enough help from the guys I mean the guys started to find their rhythm in the fourth quarter RJ Barrett made some key plays I loved his compete level especially when he had to downshift and play the four spot he was

Banging with B Caro he was rebounding the basketball Josh Hart you know is going to play with the heart of a lion and that unit in the fourth quarter expended a lot of energy to try to win this basketball game I thought they gave great effort but they just dug

Themselves too big of a hole and I think it was a great move because you needed to get guys out there in the fourth quarter that were just basketball players that were making plays you know brunson’s going to be able to get to the basket make his free throws and make

Things happen Emanuel Quickly’s been on a some roll shooting in the basketball needed him out on the flooor in the fourth quarter Josh Hart’s a guy that’s going to be a glue guy and hold everything together despite the fact a lot of guys playing out of position and

Then Barrett and and Randall I love their compete level in that fourth quarter it was just a little bit too little too late if there was maybe five more minutes left in a game and it was a 53-minute game I think the Knicks would have pulled this one out well one of

Your key points in the pregame was points in the paint Orlando averages about 56 per game in terms of points in the paint second highest total in the league and they went for 58 however the Knicks matched that total exactly Knicks also had 58 points in the paint so they

Didn’t lose the game there no they didn’t lose the game and listen it’s all a game of adjustments you know Orlando Magics they’re long on the perimeter so when they close out to your three-point Shooters it’s tough to get airspace and get a good look at the basket so the

Knicks had to adjust they had to adjust to attack the rim they knew the threes weren’t going they were 6 for 30 from the three-point line which is very uncharacteristic for them so they put their heads down they got to the basket they got to the free throw line that’s a

Credit to the Knicks you know reading what the defense was giving them it just came down to the to to the end of the game where you know the magic were tough and holding on and getting the key stops that they needed and I thought baz was

Huge I mean he defends that Rim he’s a rim protector that alongside Pao banero even when Randall beats banero baz is waiting there to alter shots and to make it difficult for the Knicks to to score around the rim there were a lot of makeable shots that the Knicks normally

Make and as a result of the length and size and Shop blocking prowess of this magic team they missed some of those makeable bunnies all right Wally short turnaround tomorrow night will be the Knick’s 32nd game and it will be their seventh backto back they’re at the

Pacers tomorrow night what do you think well I’m tired watching this game cuz the Knicks poured their hearts out uh it was a very physical basketball game remnants of the old school NBA basketball in the 90s where there was a lot of contact on every possession and the officials missed some calls made

Some good calls but I think they didn’t they didn’t blow the whistle every single time it was one of those games now tomorrow it’s going to be a track meet put your track shoes on Indiana’s going to play Fast they’re going to let you score but they’re going to try to

Outscore you so the Knicks have to be ready for that they have to control Tempo that’s the biggest thing tomorrow you cannot get in a track meet with these Indiana Pacers they want to run up and down the floor quickly you have to make them uncomfortable and play half

Court basketball and you have a guy that I don’t think the Indiana Pacers can guard and Julius Randall and he’s the guy that has to step up again and have a performance like tonight cuz he can go for a monster night all right Wall-E we haven’t crashed a plane yet have a great

Trip uh to uh Indiana and we’ll talk to tomorrow night okay miss you you got it my man even miss hold it down I miss you back there all right well we’ll see you uh after the road trip talk to you tomorrow night okay it all right when we come back [Applause] [Applause] know [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] good [Applause] what Our Dragon Lane Tower is under Attack First Blood St me dragon and Slayer have appeared our Slayer Lane Tower is under attack Fire tower is under Attack Tower is under attack an enemy has been defeated an ally has defeated Tower is under attack the final an enemy has been defeated defeated an enemy I’m on It your team

ESPN reacts to Orlando Magic beat New York Knicks 117-108; Julius Randle 38 pts, Franz Wagner 32 Pts