MVP? Westbrook has Monstrous Game in Orlando

By on March 30, 2017

Orlando, Fla. – – Russell Westbrook is a monster, and he proved that basketball nightmares can become reality against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Westbrook scored 57 points, 19 in the fourth quarter alone, to complete a freakish triple double that included 11 assists and 13 rebounds. This total represented the most points scored in a triple double in NBA history, the most points scored in the Amway Center, and the third-most given up by the Magic in franchise history.

The Magic led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, and by 10 when Russell Westbrook checked in with 7:45 left in the game. Russ would go on a ridiculous tear, hitting 8-of-14 shots, three triples, and grabbing three boards in the quarter, nailing a game-typing three-pointer to send the game to overtime.

In OT Westbrook and the Thunder continued their run, outscoring the Magic 12-4 despite an early triple by Magic man Terrence Ross, which scored the first points of overtime.

This loss is probably the most disheartening of the Magic’s season, as they were so close to beating such an elite team at home. On one side, it was a dominant performance by an MVP candidate in Russell Westbrook, but on the other side, it was another instance of this Magic team having a win in their grasp and bungling it away with poor offensive execution late.

The Magic shot 23 percent from the field in the final period of regulation and 1-of-8 in overtime. The free throw line is what ultimately sunk Orlando, however, as they would be 9-of-14 in the fourth quarter with several misses coming at key times late in the game. Twice did Magic center Nikola Vucevic, a 67 percent free throw shooter, go to the line in the game’s final 20 seconds to stop the bleeding and seal the win for Orlando. Both times, he missed a shot.

“I missed a couple of shots I usually make; they’re kind of my go-to’s,” said the Montenegrin big man, “I missed a lot of shots tonight especially in the fourth I missed a couple of free throws. We went to me a lot and I didn’t deliver.”

Magic point guard Elfrid Payton was also 1-of-4 at the line in the fourth.

“We were getting good shots and making shots at the rim,” said Payton, “I didn’t make my free throws tonight. If I make my free throws, we win this game in regulation.”

Evan Fournier, the Magic’s leading scorer with 24, was scoreless in the fourth quarter as well.

This loss drops the Magic to 27-48. Their preseason playoff goals were formally put to bed yesterday when Orlando was mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

The Magic will hit the road for their next two, traveling to Boston to take on the Celtics Friday and then to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Saturday.

 

Thunder
STARTERS MIN FG 3PT FT OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
T. GibsonPF 24 1-5 0-0 0-0 0 4 4 0 2 0 0 0 2
A. RobersonSF 35 3-7 0-2 0-0 3 6 9 3 1 2 0 5 6
S. AdamsC 29 3-5 0-0 1-5 3 6 9 0 0 2 1 1 7
R. WestbrookPG 42 21-40 6-15 9-11 3 10 13 11 3 0 7 3 57
V. OladipoSG 44 5-17 1-6 2-2 0 5 5 1 1 1 1 4 13
BENCH MIN FG 3PT FT OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
D. SabonisPF 11 1-3 1-1 1-2 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 4
D. McDermottSF 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
J. GrantSF 19 0-3 0-2 0-2 1 2 3 2 0 2 0 1 0
E. KanterC 20 6-11 0-0 5-6 0 10 10 0 0 0 2 1 17
S. ChristonPG 12 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 2
N. ColePG 4 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
A. AbrinesSG 22 2-8 2-6 0-0 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 6
N. CollisonPF DNP-COACH’S DECISION
J. HuestisSF DNP-COACH’S DECISION
K. SinglerSF DNP-COACH’S DECISION
TEAM 43-102 10-33 18-28 11 46 57 18 11 7 11 20 114
42.2% 30.3% 64.3%
Magic
STARTERS MIN FG 3PT FT OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
A. GordonPF 41 5-11 1-5 2-2 1 4 5 1 4 1 0 2 13
T. RossSF 45 9-17 5-11 0-0 0 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 23
N. VucevicC 33 3-14 0-0 5-8 2 14 16 1 1 2 0 3 11
E. PaytonPG 38 4-12 0-0 3-8 2 4 6 8 0 1 3 4 11
E. FournierSG 41 9-22 3-8 3-3 1 5 6 5 1 0 5 3 24
BENCH MIN FG 3PT FT OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS
B. BiyomboC 20 5-7 0-0 2-2 4 7 11 2 0 2 0 4 12
D.J. AugustinPG 15 2-5 0-2 4-4 0 2 2 2 1 0 3 1 8
M. HezonjaSG 18 2-5 0-2 0-0 1 4 5 2 0 1 0 0 4
J. MeeksSG 14 0-4 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 3 0
D. RudezSF DNP-COACH’S DECISION
S. ZimmermanC DNP-COACH’S DECISION
C.J. WatsonPG DNP-COACH’S DECISION
C. WilcoxSG DNP-COACH’S DECISION
TEAM 39-97 9-30 19-27 11 42 53 24 9 8 14 22 106
40.2% 30.0% 70.4%
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