Steph Curry dribbled the ball down the courtroom, stopped to step again from the left wing and rapidly buried a long-range shot in entrance of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Lower than a minute later, the Magic may solely watch when the Warriors guard transformed his fourth 3-pointer of the third quarter off a turnover.
The sequence was part of a bigger stretch during which Curry erupted for 22 factors — not even half his whole (56) in a win in opposition to the Magic on Thursday night time at Kia Middle.
“He’s simply unbelievable … He makes it look easy,” mentioned Magic guard Cory Joseph, who spent part of final season with Golden State.
The Warriors outscored the Magic 40-21 and went from down 14 factors at halftime to up 5 coming into the fourth.
The 12-minute stretch felt just like Orlando’s 1-point loss in opposition to Memphis per week in the past when it constructed up a 19-point lead within the third to solely see it evaporate earlier than the fourth started.
Even throughout Tuesday’s 40-point loss to the Cavaliers, Orlando was outscored 35-23 popping out of the break.
“Third quarters have been powerful for us the previous couple of video games,” Paolo Banchero mentioned Thursday night time. “We’ve let groups get again into the sport. It’s simply us not with the ability to face up to the runs. When a workforce goes on a run, you must both lock in and get stops, or execute on the offensive finish and get beauty.
“I don’t assume we did both within the third quarter.”
To make sure, that is what the Warriors do.
Put up-All Star break, Golden State’s web ranking within the third quarter (plus-44.5) leads the league, in keeping with NBA.com.
Nonetheless, this is also what the Magic have executed as of late, too.
Orlando’s web ranking in third quarters throughout that stretch is twentieth (minus-4.9).
“In that third quarter, we stalled out somewhat bit,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned Thursday. “You’ve acquired to maintain doing the issues that acquired you success in that first half. And that was easy.
“We shared [the ball], we moved it, acquired it across the horn after which, whether or not the ball goes in or not, it has vitality with it.”
That vitality powered a 24-point first-half from Banchero and 12 for counterpart Franz Wagner.
However as Curry caught fireplace from distance and the Magic’s protection couldn’t power a cease, their offensive output past Banchero and Wagner got here to a close to halt.
The outcome? Orlando fell to 0-2 when the duo combines for 68 factors or extra in a sport this season.
The opposite loss got here earlier than All-Star break when Orlando was outscored 33-25 within the third quarter Feb. 10 in opposition to Atlanta.
“We’re simply having sure lapses inside a sport typically. We’re capturing ourselves within the foot,” Joseph mentioned. “The proper factor about it’s that it’s one thing that we are able to management. We’ve acquired to chop the quantity of possessions of the lapses and regain that momentum.”
Beede’s Breakdown: An excessive amount of Steph Curry as Warriors overwhelm Magic
Assist may very well be on the way in which.
All-Defensive workforce guard Jalen Suggs, who missed his 14th consecutive contest with a left thigh contusion, advised reporters within the locker room postgame he’s “progressing” via his harm rehab.
“I really feel like I’m in a great house with it,” he mentioned.
After sitting 10 consecutive video games with a low again pressure, Suggs hasn’t performed in 24 of the final 25 contests.
“It’s powerful to look at any sport when you’ll be able to’t go and assist guys out, assist make performs and simply be impactful in the direction of the result of the sport,” he mentioned. “Each sport is difficult.”
Regardless of the loss to the Warriors, Mosley was happy with how his workforce responded from Tuesday’s blowout loss to Cleveland.
“If we are able to reply that approach and play that arduous persistently, have that vitality and have that spirit, we’re going to put ourselves in an excellent place,” he mentioned.
That place coming into Friday was nonetheless No. 7 within the East. Orlando, which fell to 3 video games beneath .500 and 2-3 following All-Star break, sat 5 video games again of the No. 6 Pistons and solely in entrance of No. 8 Miami by successful share (.475 vs..474).
Seeds 7-10 in every convention compete within the Play-In for the Nos. 7 and eight seeds within the playoffs.
Suggs stays assured in Orlando’s potential to return to the playoffs after incomes the No. 5 seed final 12 months.
“Something performed past March are significant basketball video games,” he mentioned. “We’re nonetheless within the hunt to play these on the finish of the 12 months. It’s a reality. I do know it for a reality. We’re going to be in there taking part in video games and having an opportunity to go play within the playoffs, it doesn’t matter what the seed seems like.
“All you wish to do is get in. You will need to come out and play nicely, however it’s additionally vital to see the larger image and perceive what we’re working in the direction of. So long as we get in there, we’ve executed our job in giving ourselves an opportunity to go win a sequence.”
With solely 21 video games remaining and loads of floor to make up within the East, Suggs is hungry to play once more.
The fourth-year professional is averaging a career-high 16.2 factors, 4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 35 appearances.
“I can’t wait to play basketball, I can’t lie,” he mentioned. “I miss that.”
And the Magic miss Suggs.
Jason Beede may be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up subsequent …
Magic vs. Raptors
When: 6, Sunday, Kia Middle
TV: FanDuel Sports activities Community Florida
