Phoenix, AZ – JJ Redick hit 4-for-8 from three-point range en route to a game-high 20 points and nine assists as the Orlando Magic knocked off the Phoenix Suns, 98-90, on Sunday at U.S. Airways Center.
Andrew Nicholson netted a career-high 19 points on an impressive 9-of-11 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds, while Glen Davis contributed 15 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, who concluded a five-game road trip with a 3-2 mark. Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and nine boards in the victory.
"(It was) a great team win," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. Guys contributed off the bench, we needed them tonight. Great effort down the stretch, execution, got some shots we wanted and good team win."
Shannon Brown scored a team-high 17 points and Jared Dudley added 15 points for the Suns, who lost for the seventh consecutive game. Marcin Gortat donated 12 points and six rebounds in the setback.
Phoenix got off to a hot start, hitting five of its first nine shots to build a 13-4 margin with 6:13 on the first-quarter clock.
Orlando answered with a 14-6 burst, capped by an Arron Afflalo jumper, to cut the deficit to one. But Gortat got on the end of an alley-oop pass from Sebastian Telfair and slammed it home to give the Suns a 23-20 advantage after the first 12 minutes.
It was a one-possession game for most of the second quarter until the Magic gave themselves some space midway through the frame.
Trailing 36-35 with 7:42 on the clock, the visitors used a quick 7-0 run to snag a 43-36 advantage with 6:08 to play in the half.
A three-point play by Jermaine O'Neal cut the Suns' deficit to 45-43, but the Magic increased the lead to 51-43 with six straight points. Vucevic buried a 16-footer with 18 seconds left and Orlando held a 53-48 lead at the break.
Moe Harkless slammed one home early in the third to push the Magic lead to nine, but the Suns responded with nine straight points to tie things at 57-57 with 7:08 on the third-quarter clock.
Nicholson hit a 17-footer with 41 seconds left to give the Magic a slim 71-70 edge heading into the final frame.
Phoenix stayed close early in the fourth as a pair of free throws by Brown made it an 82-79 Magic lead. But Orlando then used an 11-3 surge to grab a 93-82 advantage with 4:38 to go.
Gortat made it a five-point game with 3:19 left, but the Suns could not get any closer.
"It's a real frustrating loss, real disappointing loss," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "We are playing spot basketball. We play good for two minutes then we're bad for seven, then we're good for five and we're bad for three. You just can't have any consistency and you just can't win any basketball games in this league when you play that way."
Game Notes
Orlando has won five straight and seven of its last eight versus the Suns ... Orlando improved to 2-11 this season when scoring less than 100 points ... The Magic shot an efficient 51.9 percent from the floor ... Phoenix shot 46.2 percent.
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