NEW YORK _ Orlando Magic players had something to prove when they faced the New York Knicks on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Earlier in the day, Magic coaches held a film-review session that highlighted all of the team's failings the night before in a dreadful loss to the Indiana Pacers.
"They have been challenged in very firm fashion," coach Frank Vogel said before tipoff.
Vogel said he expected his players to respond.
He was right.
Playing with more defensive energy and lifted by the shooting of Jodie Meeks and Serge Ibaka, the Magic defeated the Knicks, 115-103.
After an awful first quarter defensively, Orlando held New York to 41.4 percent shooting over the final three quarters.
Meeks scored a season-high 23 points as he made six of his seven 3-pointers, while Ibaka added 22 points of his own.
Point guard Elfrid Payton provided 13 points and tied a career high with 14 assists off the bench.
The Magic made 15 of their 31 3-point shots. If you shoot that well from long range, you should not have any problems winning, even on the road.
Orlando took a 21-19 lead with 5:02 remaining in the first quarter on a hook shot by Aaron Gordon and never trailed again.
Gordon finished with 22 points.
Vogel, a former video coordinator under Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky and with the Boston Celtics, believes in the value of film study.
Monday's session had some urgency to it.
Sunday's defeat in Indianapolis was one of the Magic's most disappointing performances of the season. The Pacers sank 50.0 percent of their shot attempts, and Pacers guards drove to the hoop at will, which created problems for the rest of the Magic defense.
Asked by a reporter how the defense looked, Vogel responded, "What's the old expression? 'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.' It was poor all the way around."
But Vogel was far more direct with his players than he was with reporters.
Vogel said the errors forced some "uncomfortable conversations."
Forward Jeff Green called the session "very straightforward, very blunt."
Monday was an important game for Orlando. This month will be a difficult one, with nine of their 14 remaining games on the road.
Perhaps as a result, the Magic (16-20) played with more energy against the Knicks (16-18).
Meeks supplied jolts in the first and second quarters.
Meeks, starting his fifth consecutive game in place of injured shooting guard Evan Fournier, connected on his early long-range shots and scored 14 of Orlando's first 31 points.
But the Magic's defense struggled early. The Knicks sank 60.0 percent of their first-quarter shot attempts.
The Magic improved, however. They held the Knicks to 36.8 percent shooting and 42.1 percent shooting in the second quarter.
Just before the halftime buzzer, Meeks took a charge against Joakim Noah. The play did not lead to Magic points on the other end, but it epitomized the team's improved effort.
The Magic were not as sharp defensively as they will need to be the rest of the season, but they provided more effort plays.
In the third quarter, D.J. Augustin ripped the ball out of Derrick Rose's hands. Augustin's play led to a Magic fast break in which Carmelo Anthony fouled Gordon.
Late in the third quarter, Gordon stole the ball from Kyle O'Quinn and sped upcourt to lead a break. Gordon faked a behind-the-back pass and then finally threw a pass to Ibaka. Ibaka dunked to extend Orlando's lead to 88-74.
Early in the fourth quarter C.J. Watson dove to the floor to corral a loose ball.
It typified the Magic's night.
