Magic Shows 'Growth' in Overtime Win vs. Heat

The Miami Heat nearly stole another game from the Orlando Magic at home. But the Magic prevented history from repeating itself Saturday night.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 12, 2023

Magic Shows 'Growth' in Overtime Win vs. Heat /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - On Feb. 11, the Orlando Magic nearly had a win locked up against the Miami Heat at home. However, the young Magic couldn't withstand the experienced Heat's run and lost in overtime.

Fast forward exactly a month later on Mar. 11 to the scene of the crime, and the Magic wasn't going to let history repeat itself and allow the Heat to steal another game at home.

This time, the Magic prevailed in an overtime victory, proving that the team can grow and learn from its mistakes.

“We were in the exact same scenario the last time we played them,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “There were no heads hanging. Our guys had a level of resiliency about them. They were decisive in their decisions. They communicated with one another. They sat down and guarded. Our guys did a great job of showing the growth from one game to the next.”

The Magic has been competitive throughout most of the season. The hump that the team has struggled to get over is mostly in these late-game situations. Out of the team's 40 losses, 16 of them have come by seven points or less.

"They have given us problems all year long," Heat star Jimmy Butler said. "You got to tilt your hat off to them for that. We just got to do better from jump street. From the time that this game started, I think that they imposed their will."

The Magic is gaining respect around the league. This team isn't one you can overlook, but it's still a young group learning how to win. But you learn how to win through applied experience, and Saturday's win over the Heat is as clear of proof as anything that the team is learning and that progress is being made.

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Published Mar 12, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.