Instant Replay: Magic 98, Sixers 84

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The Orlando Magic had won just three times in their last 31 games coming into Tuesday night’s tilt against the Sixers. They had dropped 10 straight road games and were a dismal 15-41 overall for the season.

The Sixers were back at the Wells Fargo Center trying to snap a five-game losing streak.

Orlando is a young team that just isn’t good enough and yet was absolutely better than the Sixers on this night.

The Sixers did not defend and could not make shots in a 98-84 defeat. They are now 22-33 on the season and dropped a season-high six straight games.

Turning point
The Magic started the third quarter on an 11-0 run and shot 6 of 7 from the floor. They then started the fourth quarter on a 13-3 run. They led by 17 points with 9:18 to play.

This happened two days after the Sixers allowed the Knicks to post a 17-2 run to start the second quarter.

Follow the leader
Aaron Afflalo led the Magic with 16 points. Andrew Nicholson scored 13 points, and the Magic shot 54 percent from the floor as a team.

Newly-acquired guard Tobias Harris came off the Magic bench and also scored 16 points.

Damien Wilkins and Jeremy Pargo led the Sixers in scoring with 14 points each. Dorell Wright added 11 points and Evan Turner scored 10 points, six of which came at the foul line. Turner attempted a career-high 10 free throws.

Jrue Holiday handed out 10 assists to go with nine points.

Stat-egic
All five Magic starters scored in double figures. Meanwhile, Turner was the only Sixer starter to reach double digits with his 10 points. The Sixers’ other four starters combined for 26 points.

Take a bow
Nik Vucevic and Maurice Harkless had their NBA beginnings with the Sixers. Vucevic was selected 16th overall in the 2011 draft and Harkless was taken 15th overall last summer. Both players became expendable in the summer when the Sixers made the trade for Andrew Bynum.

Tuesday night, Vucevic led all rebounders with 19. He averages 11.4 boards per game for the season, fourth highest in the league. He also scored 12 points for his 32nd double-double of the season. By comparison, the Sixers' Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen combined for only three rebounds.

Harkless was 3 of 4 from the floor for 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.

What’s next?
The Sixers now travel to Chicago for a nationally-televised game against the Bulls on Thursday.

The Bulls are still without Derrick Rose, who has been sidelined with a knee injury that took place in Game 1 of the playoffs last spring against the Sixers.

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