The Orlando Magic tips off its regular season with its first win against The Miami Heat 116-109. It was their first season-opening victory since 2012. The Heat was only able to keep its lead in the first and fourth quarter scoring 32-37 and 28-31 but was not enough to keep the gap against The Magic who led the second and third quarter with 26-18 and 30-23 points. The Orlando Magic performed with a total of 47.8 percent field goals with a 38.1 percent 3 pt field goals and 75.9 percent free throws against The Heat with 43.1 percent total field goals and 26.7 percent 3 point shots and 76.5 percent free throws.
Magic's Fournier scores team-high 23 points.
Evan Fournier led the victory during the play against The Heat 116-109 with a score of 23 points (9/17 FG, 3/5 3Pt, and 2/2 FT) one rebound, three assists and no personal fouls in 34 minutes. Followed by Nikola Vucevic with a score of 19 points (6/12 FG, 0/3 3Pt, and 7/8 FT), thirteen rebounds, one assist and one personal foul in 31 minutes and Terrence Rose with 15 points (5/11 FG, 3/7 3Pt, and 2/2 FT), six rebounds and four assists also in 31 minutes. Fournier averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game on 13.7 shots last year and it seems he will continue being one of the league's top options on offense once again. That said, he does not provide much as a player other than his scoring.
So, if he is not making shots on any given night, it's tough for him to make up the value. Meanwhile, Vucevic is instructed by the coaching staff to attempt more threes this season, which we saw come to fruition in this game. Although he failed to make one in this game, he will definitely contribute to the team in the long run when he starts knocking those shots.
Hassan Whiteside of The Heat scored 26 points with 22 rebounds.
Whiteside collected 26 points (11/18 FG, 1/1 3Pt, and 3/3 FT), 22 rebounds, one assist and 1 personal foul in 36 minutes during 116-109 loss with Orlando Magic. Goran Dragic followed with 17 points (6/19 FG,1/4 3Pt, and 4/4 FT), five rebounds, six assists and no personal fouls in 30 minutes and Dion Waiters knocking off 15 points (7/17 FG, 1/6 3Pt, and 0/0 FT), four assists and one personal foul in 38 minutes.
Last season, Whiteside garnered an impressive five 20-point and 20-rebound efforts in a game. There is little doubt he'll continue to be a premier fantasy option at the center by the team after posting 17.0 points, 14.1 boards and 2.1 blocks during 2016-17. The team's next game will be Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, where Whiteside will face off against Myles Turner, one of the up-and-coming centers in the association.
