ORLANDO, Fla. _ Hampered by their ineffective offense and the New York Knicks' ability to slow the tempo, the Orlando Magic lost, 101-90, Wednesday at Amway Center.
The Magic finished with only 11 assists _ their season-low assist total.
The low total resulted from poor ball movement, errant shooting and subpar shot selection. The Magic made just 41 percent of their shots from the field and went 5 for 25 from 3-point range.
As Orlando trailed 81-73 but threatened to make a fourth-quarter run, Bismack Biyombo took _ and missed _ a 10-foot jumper midway through the shot clock. That sequence also was emblematic of the Magic's struggles.
Starters Elfrid Payton, Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic all struggled with their shooting.
Ross, playing his third game as a member of the Magic, made only three of his nine attempts.
Vucevic had a double-double _ with 14 points and 10 rebounds _ but he was inefficient. He made only six of his 16 shots. Making matters worse, Vucevic absorbed a knee-on-knee collision with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter and left the game.
Evan Fournier scored a game-high 22 points for Orlando.
Orlando continued to employ a small-ball lineup, but for that lineup to work, it's imperative that the Magic generate turnovers and speed forward in transition whenever possible.
The Knicks turned the ball over just 11 times, which limited the Magic to 18 fast break points.
After a lopsided win Saturday over the Atlanta Hawks, the Magic entered Wednesday hoping to end an embarrassing streak. The Magic had not won at least two games in a row since they routed the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 23 and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 26.
The Magic (22-39) are still waiting.
The Knicks made an adjustment to their starting lineup in order to match up against the Magic's new small-ball lineup. Coach Jeff Hornacek moved 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis from power forward to center.
Porzingis finished with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Derrick Rose added 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
And Carmelo Anthony added 17 points.
Hornacek wanted his team to sprint back on defense and slow the pace to prevent the Magic from generating fast-break points.
Sure enough, New York (25-36) dictated the pace throughout the first half.
D.J. Augustin provided a lift off the bench in the first half, scoring 11 of Orlando's first 41 points. Augustin keyed a 15-4 Magic run that cut the Knicks' lead to 42-41.
But the Knicks recovered. Following a timeout, Rose scored on a driving layup. After Ross nearly air-balled a 3-pointer, former Magic swingman Courtney Lee sank a 3-pointer.
The Magic finished the first half with only five assists.
The Knicks took a 60-51 lead into halftime after the Magic had trouble slowing Porzingis and Anthony.
Payton never found a rhythm. He picked up two fouls in the game's first 68 seconds. Although coach Frank Vogel kept Payton in the game, the two early personals seemed to diminish Payton's aggressiveness. Referees whistled Payton for his third foul late in the second quarter. Payton managed to score only two points and dish out four assists.
Gordon was off-kilter, too. Early in the game, the back of Anthony's head smacked into Gordon's nose, dazing Gordon and prompting Magic athletic trainer Keon Weise to stuff Gordon's left nostril with gauze. Gordon remained in the game, but he made only four of his 12 shots.
Some of the announced crowd of 16,005 filed out of Amway Center during a timeout with 2:10 remaining in the game.
The Magic trailed, 92-83.
Given the way the Magic had played all night, it was unlikely they could muster a comeback.
