Box Score Breakdown for Thursday, February 14, 2019
Magic Obliterate Hornets, 127-89
It's rare to see an NBA team suffer a 38-point loss but that was the case here for Charlotte. In fact, they never got the game within a 29-point margin in the second half, as Orlando led 71-36 after the first half. The Magic ended up shooting 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range while holding the Hornets to 35 percent from the field and 13 percent from long range. Orlando also out-assisted Charlotte, 32-18.
Kemba Walker went just 4-of-20 from the field to amass 10 points and three assists. Malik Monk led the team in scoring, providing 15 points, four rebounds and two assists off the bench. Cody Zeller accrued 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Terrence Ross led Orlando with 21 points off the bench. Nikola Vucevic led the starters with 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Aaron Gordon tallied 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while Jonathan Isaac totaled 16 points and six boards.
Dennis Smith Jr. led the Knicks with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, seven assists, two rebounds and one steal, in 31 minutes. DeAndre Jordan finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and one steal, in 28 minutes. John Jenkins tallied 14 points, five rebounds and two assists, in 25 minutes off the bench. Kadeem Allen chipped in 14 points, nine assists and two rebounds, in 24 minutes off the bench.
Meanwhile, Dewayne Dedmon led the Hawks with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, two rebounds, one steal and one block, in 26 minutes. Trae Young followed up with 16 points on 6-of-19 shooting, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals, in 31 minutes. Kent Bazemore finished with 16 points, six rebounds and one assist, while Taurean Prince chipped in 10 points, five rebounds and one steal.
On a night where the Thunder and Pelicans combined to score 253 points, there were a number of explosive offensive performances from both sides. This was highlighted by Russell Westbrook, who put together what was by far his most efficient performance of the regular season so far. Westbrook shot 18-of-30 (60 percent) from the field on his way to posting a season-high 44 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, which was his 11th straight triple-double.
Meanwhile, a pair of Pelicans stepped up in a major way with All-Star Anthony Davis unable to play in the second half due to a shoulder injury. Julius Randle took control of the frontcourt, scoring a team-high 33 points to go along with 11 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. Right behind him was Jrue Holiday, who scored 32 points on top of five rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes of his own.