ORLANDO, Fla. _ On Tuesday morning, with his team mired in a terrible slump, Evan Fournier was asked a question.
What should the Orlando Magic try to accomplish the rest of the season?
Above all else, Fournier answered, the Magic need to fight.
They did that Tuesday night, figuratively and literally.
On a night reserve swingman Arron Afflalo was ejected after he threw a wild haymaker, the Magic played one of their most energetic, gritty games of the season. Led by Fournier, rarely used rookie center Khem Birch and backup point guard D.J. Augustin, the Magic defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 108-102, at Amway Center.
Fournier scored a career-high 32 points, and Birch recorded the first double-double of his NBA career.
The Magic fell behind 83-80 with 8:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, but they responded by going on a 14-4 run. Augustin started the outburst by sinking a short jumper, and he completed the spurt with a 3-pointer. Augustin finished with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Afflalo and Nemanja Bjelica were ejected after they fought midway through the second quarter. With the Timberwolves on offense, Bjelica cut into the lane and collided head-on with Afflalo, prompting Afflalo to unload a right-handed haymaker that appeared to graze the left side of Bjelica's head. Bjelica put Afflalo into a headlock, and coaches and security personnel from both teams rushed onto the court to stop the fracas.
Earlier in the quarter, Afflalo appeared to take issue with Bjelica after Bjelica challenged a shot and came down on Afflalo. The two exchanged words, prompting the referees to assess each of them technical fouls.
The win was only the Magic's fifth victory over their last 32 games.
They opened the day tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the league's worst record, but now sit at 13-31, half a game ahead of the Hawks.
The Timberwolves (29-17) had won their previous five games.
Marreese Speights, who has been Orlando's second-string center since Nikola Vucevic fractured his left hand on Dec. 23, did not attend the game in order to attend to a personal matter.
With Speights unavailable to play, Birch played 19 minutes and made a major impact. The rookie scored 12 points, collected 10 rebounds and blocked four shots.
Orlando took an 84-83 lead with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter as Mario Hezonja cut to the hoop, received a pass from Shelvin Mack and scored on a two-handed dunk. After a missed 3-pointer by Jamal Crawford, the Magic extended their lead when Fournier fed Jonathon Simmons and Simmons scored on a layup.
A short while later, after the teams traded baskets, Augustin drained a 3-pointer that put the Magic ahead 94-87 with 4:05 to play.
Bismack Biyombo, who was standing at the scorer's table waiting to check in, celebrated by throwing a towel into the air after the Timberwolves called a timeout.
With the Timberwolves threatening a comeback, Fournier made a driving layup, extending the Magic's lead to 98-92 with 2:51 to play. A short while later, Augustin was fouled as he attempted a 3-pointer, and he made all three of his free-throw attempts.
Biyombo tallied 10 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks, and he played most of the final 4 minutes, 5 seconds.
With the Magic clinging to a 103-98 lead with 50.9 seconds left, Biyombo received a pass from Fournier and scored as he absorbed a foul by Jimmy Butler. Biyombo completed the three-point play, giving the Magic the breathing room they needed.
Biyombo and Birch combined to block nine shots.
Afflalo threw a punch, but his teammates made impacts of their own.
Butler scored 28 points for the Wolves.
